Trinity Sunday 2011
A Reflection based on Readings from Exodus, 43, Daniel 3, Corinthians 13, John 3
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
The readings for this Sunday honoring the Blessed Trinity of God the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit proclaim one important message that we need to burn into our memory and hold fast to since it sums up the most important thing we need to know about God. God is a God of LOVE, MERCY, and COMPASSION. In essence, God is LOVE consummate. In the first reading from Exodus we read where God himself proclaimed to Moses the following; “"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." The Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday comes from the book of Daniel and is the ultimate praise prayer that we should profess every day and one which we Franciscans do say at least twice a day in keeping with the fact that St. Francis himself prayed it often throughout the day. It is simple and yet very powerful. “Glory and praise forever! Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all age, Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. Glory and praise forever! Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Glory and praise forever! Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Glory and praise forever!”
The second reading informs us on how we should live with one another and again it is a message of extending love like that Christ exhibited to all we meet especially our family, friends and members of our Faith Community. The reading tells us to; “Encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” The reading ends with a prayer that we say several times as we celebrate the Mass. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”
The Gospel begins by reminding us of how much God and His beloved son loves us when it says; “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” St. John then goes on to remind us that God is not interested in being a God of condemnation; “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
It is, I believe, very appropriate the this year Trinity Sunday that celebrates the 3 distinct separate manifestations of Almighty God yet the unity of them happens to fall this year on Father’s Day since Christ called God His Father. He even told us that when we pray, say; “Our Father who art in heaven”
God exists as three persons but is one God, meaning that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have exactly the same nature or being as God the Father in every way. Whatever attributes and power God the Father has, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have as well. "Thus, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are also eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely loving, and omniscient." All this means that since all the attributes of God are Consubstantial meaning "of one being" in that the Son is "generated" ("born" or "begotten") "before all ages" or "eternally" of the Father's own being, from which the Spirit also eternally "proceeds.". All 3 personas of God are the same and therefore the great power and force that is God is LOVE.
To sum up, if we are to become Christ like or God like, we need to work hard on being more loving and accepting of everyone, even those who don’t always treat us well.
That is very difficult, but remember, as he hung on the Cross Christ called out “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. To be forgiving of those who have done harm to us is the ultimate way of expressing Love but it is extremely difficult and requires us to be reject the normal human reaction to retaliate. I find that I need to constantly implore the Paraclete to give me the strength and inspiration to be able to become more loving in my relationships with those who do not always treat me well. And since God is generous and loving I find that somehow I am able to forgive and be cordial to those who have hurt me.
Whether we pray to God in the name of Adonai, Yahweh, El-Olam, Jesus or The Paraclete (Holy Spirit) we are praying to the one and only God. The same God that Abraham, Isaac, Moses, King David, Jacob, Mohammad, the Apostles and all the Saints prayed too.
In short, let us establish a line of communication with God and let us try to have more love for all those we encounter. Just possibly, if we can achieve that it will start spreading like a virus that invades people turning their hearts of stone into hearts filled with compassion, mercy and the desire for a world without war, hunger, poverty, homelessness and prejudice. AMEN
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Pentecost Reflection
Pentecost 2011 Reflection
Based on the readings from: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 3-13, Psalm 103, John20:19-23; also John15:26-67; 16:12-15
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
Veni, Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit, Come
“No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit” (. 1 Corinthians 12:3) “In the one Spirit we were all baptized, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)
“Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!” with these words the beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit, VENI, SANCTE SPIRITUS, begins. The feast of Pentecost is also called the Birthday of the church because it celebrates the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles after which they were heard by people of every race and nationality to be proclaiming the truth of Jesus teachings in the language of the listener.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us “No one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit” It is in this letter that one of the most redeeming passages of scripture can be found. Paul informs us “everyone has different gifts bestowed on them by God through the Holy Spirit.” He goes on to affirm that there “Different forms of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces them all. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit” “For in one Spirit we were all Baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greek, slave of free person, we were all given to drink of the one Spirit”
The Gospel admonishes us to “Receive the Holy Spirit”.
It is the Holy Spirit that guides and inspires us, just as it inspired those who wrote the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is a living Spirit, Through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we are assisted in refraining from behavior that is displeasing to Almighty God and separate us from Him.
To elaborate on how we might possibly cause ourselves to be separated from God and the Gifts He freely gives us through the Holy Spirit would take more time than we have and would really require a series of Reflections but essentially we separate ourselves by giving in to the temptations of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each of these “Desires of the Flesh” or deadly sins affords us many ways of sinning. They are human faults that every individual has; our task is to try our best to resist their lure.
One thing that I personally can attest to is that, if we call upon God daily, or as many times as we need to in order to resist the temptations that plague us every day, and ask Almighty God to send us the Holy Spirit, God will oblige. One of my daily prayers begins with “Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart and kindle in in me the fire of your love so that I might be renewed”
In John 16: we are promised, “The Spirit will guide you to all truth. The spirit will not speak on its own, but will speak what he hears from me and declare it to you”
The truth is that God is a merciful, loving, forgiving and compassionate God. God is always there awaiting your call to Him. He does not have an answering machine, voice mail, or a secretary. He always listens to what we are saying and will respond to us according to what He feels is best for us. God always answers our prayers, just not always in the way we want. Many times God actually comes to us and speaks to us in our dreams, or quiet times and even sometimes while driving a car, listening to the I pod, watching TV or playing ball.
Unfortunately, often we are too preoccupied to listen to what he is telling us through the Holy Spirit.
I suggest that the time is NOW for us to begin to be more receptive to those calls from God. Don’t put Him on hold, but take a break from whatever we are engaged in and listen with an open and receptive heart.
We need to allow ourselves to “Receive The Holy Spirit” so that we can begin to develop a deeper and closer relationship with Almighty God and thereby begin the elimination of the “Desires of the Flesh” that have prevented us from receiving all the gifts of The Spirit, Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. AMEN
A Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFD
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech You, and take up abode in my heart. Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just. Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter. Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts.
Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul, protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me. Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God. Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and for all of his creations. Assist me to be an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter. Give unto me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will. By your generous bestowing of your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives and reigns with you our creator, Almighty God, as one triune God, now and forever. AMEN
Based on the readings from: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 3-13, Psalm 103, John20:19-23; also John15:26-67; 16:12-15
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
Veni, Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit, Come
“No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit” (. 1 Corinthians 12:3) “In the one Spirit we were all baptized, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)
“Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!” with these words the beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit, VENI, SANCTE SPIRITUS, begins. The feast of Pentecost is also called the Birthday of the church because it celebrates the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles after which they were heard by people of every race and nationality to be proclaiming the truth of Jesus teachings in the language of the listener.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us “No one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit” It is in this letter that one of the most redeeming passages of scripture can be found. Paul informs us “everyone has different gifts bestowed on them by God through the Holy Spirit.” He goes on to affirm that there “Different forms of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces them all. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit” “For in one Spirit we were all Baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greek, slave of free person, we were all given to drink of the one Spirit”
The Gospel admonishes us to “Receive the Holy Spirit”.
It is the Holy Spirit that guides and inspires us, just as it inspired those who wrote the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is a living Spirit, Through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we are assisted in refraining from behavior that is displeasing to Almighty God and separate us from Him.
To elaborate on how we might possibly cause ourselves to be separated from God and the Gifts He freely gives us through the Holy Spirit would take more time than we have and would really require a series of Reflections but essentially we separate ourselves by giving in to the temptations of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each of these “Desires of the Flesh” or deadly sins affords us many ways of sinning. They are human faults that every individual has; our task is to try our best to resist their lure.
One thing that I personally can attest to is that, if we call upon God daily, or as many times as we need to in order to resist the temptations that plague us every day, and ask Almighty God to send us the Holy Spirit, God will oblige. One of my daily prayers begins with “Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart and kindle in in me the fire of your love so that I might be renewed”
In John 16: we are promised, “The Spirit will guide you to all truth. The spirit will not speak on its own, but will speak what he hears from me and declare it to you”
The truth is that God is a merciful, loving, forgiving and compassionate God. God is always there awaiting your call to Him. He does not have an answering machine, voice mail, or a secretary. He always listens to what we are saying and will respond to us according to what He feels is best for us. God always answers our prayers, just not always in the way we want. Many times God actually comes to us and speaks to us in our dreams, or quiet times and even sometimes while driving a car, listening to the I pod, watching TV or playing ball.
Unfortunately, often we are too preoccupied to listen to what he is telling us through the Holy Spirit.
I suggest that the time is NOW for us to begin to be more receptive to those calls from God. Don’t put Him on hold, but take a break from whatever we are engaged in and listen with an open and receptive heart.
We need to allow ourselves to “Receive The Holy Spirit” so that we can begin to develop a deeper and closer relationship with Almighty God and thereby begin the elimination of the “Desires of the Flesh” that have prevented us from receiving all the gifts of The Spirit, Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. AMEN
A Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFD
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech You, and take up abode in my heart. Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just. Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter. Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts.
Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul, protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me. Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God. Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and for all of his creations. Assist me to be an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter. Give unto me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will. By your generous bestowing of your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives and reigns with you our creator, Almighty God, as one triune God, now and forever. AMEN
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Reflection on The Our Father
Our Father Reflection
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
The following is a reflection from the Gospel of Matthew 6: 7-15 where Jesus teaches the Apostles how to pray and gives them and us the prayer we know as THE OUR FATHER.
Christ’s first instruction is on how we should pray at all times was; “ In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
In this Jesus is telling us not to rattle off our prayers in a hurry and to actually take time to think about what we are saying. Prayer is not just a recitation of the words but is a conversation with Almighty God, Christ, Our Blessed mother, or our favorite saints. We should be talking with them as though they were there in the room with us. Yes when we say the traditional prayers like the one we are reflecting upon that Jesus himself taught us we should still feel the words we are saying not just rattle them off from rote memory.
This applies especially the great prayer, the Mass.
Christ reminds us that God knows what is in our hearts and our minds even before we speak them. The purpose of praying is not the words but in centering ourselves to be with God.
I often tell people that taking time alone with God and talking to him as though He were sitting opposite them is a calming and centering exercise and it brings us closer to God as well as helps us to focus.
By taking time to focus on what we are saying and to speak the words that come from our inner being we enter into a reverent communication with Almighty God.
Jesus then goes on to teach us words we now know as THE OUR FATHER.
"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
In this simple prayer we sum up all our beliefs and our wishes.
Christ reminds us again, in no uncertain terms, what our request to God and the answer depends upon he said; For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15)
Therefore, when we pray the Our Father, we are acknowledging many of our beliefs as Christians because we concede:
1. God is our Father, and like our paternal father whose seed brought us into being, God brought us and all things into being by willing them into existence.
2. We affirm that the name of Almighty God is Holy and needs to be revered above all persons and things.
3. We are acknowledging that the kingdom of heaven is something in the future not to be found in this mortal world.
4. We acknowledge that we agree that God’s will MUST be done in all things, in both heaven and here on earth.
Notice it is, God’s will, not our own desire and will. This is often very difficult for us to embrace and it is also one way that we so often find ourselves in troubling by insisting on having our own way in spite of all other things.
5. We next go on to ask God to provide us the daily necessities of our life.
The key in this part of the prayer is ‘DAILY NECESSITIES’.
When we ask to win the lottery or get a flat screen TV or new car God may not consider them to be necessary for our existence and if fact, God may see that in getting them we would be endangering our eternal salvation.
6. In asking God to forgive us our debts we are asking Him for forgiveness of the things we might have done that separated us from Him and put us in debt to God. We also must remember we need to be willing to forgive those who have hurt us. This is a extremely important part of the prayer. If we are unwilling to forgive others how can we expect God to forgive us. Christ even reiterates this when He cautions “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 18:35)
7. Finally, we ask God to keep us from being tempted by Satan, but to deliver us from all evils, those imposed upon us by others and those which come out of our own selfishness, greed, anger, prejudices and stubbornness.
When Christ repeated the caution a second time about forgiving others He did so, I am sure, because He knew how difficult it was going to be for us mortals.
One of the most difficult things for people to admit is that they are wrong.
It is even more difficult to go to someone you have done a wrong too and ask for their forgiveness.
It is even more difficult to forgive someone who you really admired and cared deeply for who has wronged you.
Many people just cannot admit to another they are wrong. We see this daily on the news and TV. Even when faced with overwhelming evidence that a decision one made was wrong, some people cannot admit it and plead innocence.
As we prepare for the feast celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the actual birth of the Christian Church, we might want to reflect on how we pray and whether or not we are doing all we can to reach out to those we might have wronged and seek their forgiveness or better yet, have we forgiven those that have hurt us and extended to them the love of Christ.
I suggest this meditation because it may require some time for us to digest.
To be true followers and believers of Jesus Christ and to truly love God with all our being, we need to open ourselves to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to put into practice in our daily lives what Christ taught us.
We need to live the Gospels not just preach and read them and we need to partake of Christ within us through the Eucharist. I love how St. Francis described the Eucharist; “The lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, who so humbles himself for our salvation that he hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread” (from a letter to the entire order by St. Francis)
Like the Tau cross all Franciscans wear which represents our being “marked” as converted to a life based on the teachings of Christ and strengthened by the Eucharist.
The Tau, which is the Greek letter for an “X” which is what Ezekiel in chapter 9:3-6 says all who repented their sins and were converted should be marked with.
We Franciscans have dedicated our lives to not only preaching the messages of peace, brotherhood, love, charity, mercy and forgiveness but attempt to embrace those teachings in our daily lives with the help and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, that Christ promised would be sent by God to be with us always. AMEN
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans Divine Mercy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
The following is a reflection from the Gospel of Matthew 6: 7-15 where Jesus teaches the Apostles how to pray and gives them and us the prayer we know as THE OUR FATHER.
Christ’s first instruction is on how we should pray at all times was; “ In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
In this Jesus is telling us not to rattle off our prayers in a hurry and to actually take time to think about what we are saying. Prayer is not just a recitation of the words but is a conversation with Almighty God, Christ, Our Blessed mother, or our favorite saints. We should be talking with them as though they were there in the room with us. Yes when we say the traditional prayers like the one we are reflecting upon that Jesus himself taught us we should still feel the words we are saying not just rattle them off from rote memory.
This applies especially the great prayer, the Mass.
Christ reminds us that God knows what is in our hearts and our minds even before we speak them. The purpose of praying is not the words but in centering ourselves to be with God.
I often tell people that taking time alone with God and talking to him as though He were sitting opposite them is a calming and centering exercise and it brings us closer to God as well as helps us to focus.
By taking time to focus on what we are saying and to speak the words that come from our inner being we enter into a reverent communication with Almighty God.
Jesus then goes on to teach us words we now know as THE OUR FATHER.
"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
In this simple prayer we sum up all our beliefs and our wishes.
Christ reminds us again, in no uncertain terms, what our request to God and the answer depends upon he said; For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15)
Therefore, when we pray the Our Father, we are acknowledging many of our beliefs as Christians because we concede:
1. God is our Father, and like our paternal father whose seed brought us into being, God brought us and all things into being by willing them into existence.
2. We affirm that the name of Almighty God is Holy and needs to be revered above all persons and things.
3. We are acknowledging that the kingdom of heaven is something in the future not to be found in this mortal world.
4. We acknowledge that we agree that God’s will MUST be done in all things, in both heaven and here on earth.
Notice it is, God’s will, not our own desire and will. This is often very difficult for us to embrace and it is also one way that we so often find ourselves in troubling by insisting on having our own way in spite of all other things.
5. We next go on to ask God to provide us the daily necessities of our life.
The key in this part of the prayer is ‘DAILY NECESSITIES’.
When we ask to win the lottery or get a flat screen TV or new car God may not consider them to be necessary for our existence and if fact, God may see that in getting them we would be endangering our eternal salvation.
6. In asking God to forgive us our debts we are asking Him for forgiveness of the things we might have done that separated us from Him and put us in debt to God. We also must remember we need to be willing to forgive those who have hurt us. This is a extremely important part of the prayer. If we are unwilling to forgive others how can we expect God to forgive us. Christ even reiterates this when He cautions “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 18:35)
7. Finally, we ask God to keep us from being tempted by Satan, but to deliver us from all evils, those imposed upon us by others and those which come out of our own selfishness, greed, anger, prejudices and stubbornness.
When Christ repeated the caution a second time about forgiving others He did so, I am sure, because He knew how difficult it was going to be for us mortals.
One of the most difficult things for people to admit is that they are wrong.
It is even more difficult to go to someone you have done a wrong too and ask for their forgiveness.
It is even more difficult to forgive someone who you really admired and cared deeply for who has wronged you.
Many people just cannot admit to another they are wrong. We see this daily on the news and TV. Even when faced with overwhelming evidence that a decision one made was wrong, some people cannot admit it and plead innocence.
As we prepare for the feast celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the actual birth of the Christian Church, we might want to reflect on how we pray and whether or not we are doing all we can to reach out to those we might have wronged and seek their forgiveness or better yet, have we forgiven those that have hurt us and extended to them the love of Christ.
I suggest this meditation because it may require some time for us to digest.
To be true followers and believers of Jesus Christ and to truly love God with all our being, we need to open ourselves to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to put into practice in our daily lives what Christ taught us.
We need to live the Gospels not just preach and read them and we need to partake of Christ within us through the Eucharist. I love how St. Francis described the Eucharist; “The lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, who so humbles himself for our salvation that he hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread” (from a letter to the entire order by St. Francis)
Like the Tau cross all Franciscans wear which represents our being “marked” as converted to a life based on the teachings of Christ and strengthened by the Eucharist.
The Tau, which is the Greek letter for an “X” which is what Ezekiel in chapter 9:3-6 says all who repented their sins and were converted should be marked with.
We Franciscans have dedicated our lives to not only preaching the messages of peace, brotherhood, love, charity, mercy and forgiveness but attempt to embrace those teachings in our daily lives with the help and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, that Christ promised would be sent by God to be with us always. AMEN
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sixth Sunday of Easter 2011 Reflection
Love of Jesus is love of God
A reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter 2011
Based on Acts 8-5-8, 14-17, Psalm 66, 1 Peter 3:15-18, John 14:15-21
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
The Gospel Reading for the sixth Sunday after Easter is extremely plain, telling us that by loving God and keeping His commandments every day God will not only hear our prayers but will love as Christ loved Him and he will be with us always.
In reading the following passage from John 14 we cannot interpret any other way except that by following Christ’s teachings we are living in accord with God’s desire for us.
The reading also emphasizes that when we live our lives according to the teachings of Christ we are given the Holy Spirit living within us to be our counselor and guide.
‘If you love me you will keep my commandments. I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever, that Spirit of truth whom the world can never receive since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you. I will not leave you orphans…. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father” (John 14:15-23)
Even though the Holy Spirit cannot be seen Christ affirms that the Spirit lives within us who accept Christ and attempt, to the best of our human ability, to live our daily lives with love for all God’s children, with compassion for the sick, aged, lonely, hungry, homeless and marginalized in accord with what Christ himself called the greatest commandments. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Gospel ends with a firm affirmation that; “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
The questions we have to ask ourselves are these;
“Do we seek God and take time every day to communicate with God which is often called prayer?
Do we partake of the gifts Christ gave us in the Eucharist regularly?
Do we speak out against injustice, violence, war, poverty and discrimination?
These are the things that Christ did when He walked this earth and showed us the way to the Father.
Do we give back to God a percentage of the gifts He has given to us by contributing 10 % of what we receive in time or in a monetary donation to support the work of the church or charitable organizations who help the poor, needy, and disadvantaged?
At the present time we are collecting personal care items and also single bedding items and bath towels for a family homeless shelter in our area and this is just one of many opportunities for us to give back some of what God has given us.
This ministry has an enormous debt that is making it difficult for us to do all we would like to do because of the monthly payments and we would welcome any help we receive. There are many ways you can give back to God some of what He has given to you if you just look around.
Combined with prayer, partaking of the Sacraments and being generous with the gifts God has bestowed upon us we demonstrate not only our love of God but are living testaments to the Greatest Commandment according the Jesus Christ.
Christ was more than happy to give everything of himself including his earthly life just so we could have everlasting life and forgiveness of sin but He only asks us to follow what he called the Greatest Commandments by loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Christ gave us the example. If we wish to be welcomed into the Fathers house and claim the place prepared for us there we must live in accord with Christ’s teachings and not some man made regulations.
The following prayer asks the Holy Spirit to abide within us and guide and lead us every day of our life. The more one invokes the Holy Spirit, the more we feel the Spirit Christ promised working within us. May Almighty God fill us with the Spirit and shower us with His infinite mercy and love every day of our life. AMEN
Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFD
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech you, and take up abode in my heart.
Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just.
Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter. Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts.
Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me.
Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God.
Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and all of His creations. Assist me to be an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter.
Give me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will. By your generous bestowing of your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives, and reigns with you and our creator Almighty God as one triune God, now and forever. AMEN
A reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter 2011
Based on Acts 8-5-8, 14-17, Psalm 66, 1 Peter 3:15-18, John 14:15-21
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
The Gospel Reading for the sixth Sunday after Easter is extremely plain, telling us that by loving God and keeping His commandments every day God will not only hear our prayers but will love as Christ loved Him and he will be with us always.
In reading the following passage from John 14 we cannot interpret any other way except that by following Christ’s teachings we are living in accord with God’s desire for us.
The reading also emphasizes that when we live our lives according to the teachings of Christ we are given the Holy Spirit living within us to be our counselor and guide.
‘If you love me you will keep my commandments. I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever, that Spirit of truth whom the world can never receive since it neither sees nor knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you. I will not leave you orphans…. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father” (John 14:15-23)
Even though the Holy Spirit cannot be seen Christ affirms that the Spirit lives within us who accept Christ and attempt, to the best of our human ability, to live our daily lives with love for all God’s children, with compassion for the sick, aged, lonely, hungry, homeless and marginalized in accord with what Christ himself called the greatest commandments. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Gospel ends with a firm affirmation that; “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
The questions we have to ask ourselves are these;
“Do we seek God and take time every day to communicate with God which is often called prayer?
Do we partake of the gifts Christ gave us in the Eucharist regularly?
Do we speak out against injustice, violence, war, poverty and discrimination?
These are the things that Christ did when He walked this earth and showed us the way to the Father.
Do we give back to God a percentage of the gifts He has given to us by contributing 10 % of what we receive in time or in a monetary donation to support the work of the church or charitable organizations who help the poor, needy, and disadvantaged?
At the present time we are collecting personal care items and also single bedding items and bath towels for a family homeless shelter in our area and this is just one of many opportunities for us to give back some of what God has given us.
This ministry has an enormous debt that is making it difficult for us to do all we would like to do because of the monthly payments and we would welcome any help we receive. There are many ways you can give back to God some of what He has given to you if you just look around.
Combined with prayer, partaking of the Sacraments and being generous with the gifts God has bestowed upon us we demonstrate not only our love of God but are living testaments to the Greatest Commandment according the Jesus Christ.
Christ was more than happy to give everything of himself including his earthly life just so we could have everlasting life and forgiveness of sin but He only asks us to follow what he called the Greatest Commandments by loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Christ gave us the example. If we wish to be welcomed into the Fathers house and claim the place prepared for us there we must live in accord with Christ’s teachings and not some man made regulations.
The following prayer asks the Holy Spirit to abide within us and guide and lead us every day of our life. The more one invokes the Holy Spirit, the more we feel the Spirit Christ promised working within us. May Almighty God fill us with the Spirit and shower us with His infinite mercy and love every day of our life. AMEN
Prayer to The Holy Spirit
By Father Robert Johnnene OFD
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
O Most Holy Spirit, merciful Comforter; Come, I beseech you, and take up abode in my heart.
Let my weaknesses be penetrated with your strength, so that I may always do what is right and just.
Fill my heart with charity toward all I encounter. Enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts.
Purify and cleanse me of all sin and sanctify my soul protecting and shielding me from the temptations that plague me.
Make me truly humble that I may be pleasing to Almighty God.
Instill within me an honest respect of Almighty God and all of His creations. Assist me to be an instrument of God's Word to all I encounter.
Give me the gift of Wisdom to know and live according to God’s will. By your generous bestowing of your gifts, help me to live a holy life and grow in the everlasting love of Christ so that I may join with all the heavenly elect when my days here on earth are ended.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, my redeemer and savior, who lives, and reigns with you and our creator Almighty God as one triune God, now and forever. AMEN
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
A Reflection For Today
“Semper Paratus”Always Ready
A Reflection for Every Day By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Franciscans of Divine Mercy/ Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
“No one knows the day or the time. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows”. (Mark 13:32) I find it truly amazing that so many who consider themselves believers and followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians, seem to forget these words from Holy Scripture.
All last week, the everywhere you looked, people everywhere were talking about the “prediction” of a so called pastor, that the Apocalypse, Rapture or the end of this world as we know it was going to happen at 6:00 PM on Friday.
As this reflection can well testify, he was wrong “AGAIN!” for the third time, and now says , “ooops, I got it wrong again and my calculations were off by 5 months”
The following may sound like the beginning of a joke, but it actually happened. A Jewish Rabbi, a pastor of another denomination, a priest and I were talking about the events of the last week along with a neighbor of mine and we all said the same thing at about the same time. “The end will come for every one of us at some time and we need to be prepared as the motto the Coast Guard says we need to be “Semper Paratus” to meet our maker.” It may come very quickly without any warning like it did for my father or the victims of the recent Tsunami, earthquakes, Tornadoes or an accident or it may come after a lingering illness where the family prays that the persons suffering will come to an end as I did for my mother who suffered for more than four years.
This brought us to another observation and comments about how in this day and age attendance by members of the various Religious denominations has dwindled to such a degree that all over the world churches, Synagogues and other places of worship to God are closing because of the lack of attendance which leads to the denominations not being able to afford to keep them open and also the lack of people who are willing to make a commitment to the service of God and His people.
In short, God is the furthest thing from too many people’s minds.
Sundays are just like every other day. People make plans to shop, get their hair done, play golf or go to the beach but no where do they have time, even for an hour, to gather together as a faith community to thank God for what they are able to do and also to offer petitions to God for the needs of other or for themselves.
The gospel reading for this coming Sunday instructs us “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” And last week we heard the following; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. If we couple all the passages from Scripture mentioned above together how is it that we can continue to live our lives so care free and have God as the person we turn to only when we are in crisis and forget about him and His commandments, especially the TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS according to Jesus Christ; “; “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is THIS; YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these.”
As I go about tending to those who are ill in the nursing home and hospices and as I myself have reached the youthful age of 75, I often wonder if this persons illness is the illness that will be the last one on this earth or will the person recover to live to use their God given gifts in a manner that will reward them when they are finally called home to God with these words “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” Matthew 25:14-30
Daily I examine my own actions to determine if I did all I could do to help those in need of comfort, spiritual uplifting or just some companionship and conversation. Have I shared myself and the gifts God gave me with others?
During these troubling times with the downturn in the economy, wars raging, famine, genocide and continued high unemployment, gas prices continuing to skyrocket causing prices to soar on everything we hear daily of the excesses of so many and the exorbitant salaries being demanded by performers and professional athletes I have to wonder when people are going to wake up and come to the realization that “YOU CAN NOT TAKE MATERIAL THINGS WITH YOU WHEN THE END COMES FOR YOU”
I know of a woman who had acquired huge resources in property, money and other material things but was one of the least generous people I have ever known. Her life in her final years was extremely lonely and she complained bitterly that; “no one, even her children, seemed to care”. She died in a huge mansion alone but she did leave a huge fortune to her children who also inherited her bitterness probably because they never really knew love, kindness or saw charity in their lives.
So many people misuse the gifts that God gave them and I am certain that they will be called to answer for their misuse when they face that judgment spoken about in the Book of Daniel and when their “End Time” comes.
We need to acquire the motto “Semper Paratus” as the way of living so that we will be ready when we are called before God to answer for how we used the gifts he gave us.
God is going to ask us to answer for how we used His gifts to us. He will ask if we shared our resources with those in need. Did we show compassion for the aged and sick? Did we practice brotherly love to all God’s children regardless of race, creed, marital situation or sexual orientation?
Christ in the Beatitudes gave us the instructions and the way to live when He preached in the Sermon on the Mount and the parables like The Good Samaritan.
As The Gospel readings for this coming Sunday and the Readings from Last Sunday have made extremely clear there is one way, and one way only to god and that is keeping what Christ called the Greatest Commandments; “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is THIS; YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” , and remembering that we NEVER know when our end time will come so we had better be prepared and brgin to place God at the center and forefront of our lives and make time for him not only on Sunday, but every day that we live. AMEN
A Reflection for Every Day By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Franciscans of Divine Mercy/ Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
www.missionstsergius.org
“No one knows the day or the time. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows”. (Mark 13:32) I find it truly amazing that so many who consider themselves believers and followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians, seem to forget these words from Holy Scripture.
All last week, the everywhere you looked, people everywhere were talking about the “prediction” of a so called pastor, that the Apocalypse, Rapture or the end of this world as we know it was going to happen at 6:00 PM on Friday.
As this reflection can well testify, he was wrong “AGAIN!” for the third time, and now says , “ooops, I got it wrong again and my calculations were off by 5 months”
The following may sound like the beginning of a joke, but it actually happened. A Jewish Rabbi, a pastor of another denomination, a priest and I were talking about the events of the last week along with a neighbor of mine and we all said the same thing at about the same time. “The end will come for every one of us at some time and we need to be prepared as the motto the Coast Guard says we need to be “Semper Paratus” to meet our maker.” It may come very quickly without any warning like it did for my father or the victims of the recent Tsunami, earthquakes, Tornadoes or an accident or it may come after a lingering illness where the family prays that the persons suffering will come to an end as I did for my mother who suffered for more than four years.
This brought us to another observation and comments about how in this day and age attendance by members of the various Religious denominations has dwindled to such a degree that all over the world churches, Synagogues and other places of worship to God are closing because of the lack of attendance which leads to the denominations not being able to afford to keep them open and also the lack of people who are willing to make a commitment to the service of God and His people.
In short, God is the furthest thing from too many people’s minds.
Sundays are just like every other day. People make plans to shop, get their hair done, play golf or go to the beach but no where do they have time, even for an hour, to gather together as a faith community to thank God for what they are able to do and also to offer petitions to God for the needs of other or for themselves.
The gospel reading for this coming Sunday instructs us “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” And last week we heard the following; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. If we couple all the passages from Scripture mentioned above together how is it that we can continue to live our lives so care free and have God as the person we turn to only when we are in crisis and forget about him and His commandments, especially the TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS according to Jesus Christ; “; “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is THIS; YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these.”
As I go about tending to those who are ill in the nursing home and hospices and as I myself have reached the youthful age of 75, I often wonder if this persons illness is the illness that will be the last one on this earth or will the person recover to live to use their God given gifts in a manner that will reward them when they are finally called home to God with these words “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” Matthew 25:14-30
Daily I examine my own actions to determine if I did all I could do to help those in need of comfort, spiritual uplifting or just some companionship and conversation. Have I shared myself and the gifts God gave me with others?
During these troubling times with the downturn in the economy, wars raging, famine, genocide and continued high unemployment, gas prices continuing to skyrocket causing prices to soar on everything we hear daily of the excesses of so many and the exorbitant salaries being demanded by performers and professional athletes I have to wonder when people are going to wake up and come to the realization that “YOU CAN NOT TAKE MATERIAL THINGS WITH YOU WHEN THE END COMES FOR YOU”
I know of a woman who had acquired huge resources in property, money and other material things but was one of the least generous people I have ever known. Her life in her final years was extremely lonely and she complained bitterly that; “no one, even her children, seemed to care”. She died in a huge mansion alone but she did leave a huge fortune to her children who also inherited her bitterness probably because they never really knew love, kindness or saw charity in their lives.
So many people misuse the gifts that God gave them and I am certain that they will be called to answer for their misuse when they face that judgment spoken about in the Book of Daniel and when their “End Time” comes.
We need to acquire the motto “Semper Paratus” as the way of living so that we will be ready when we are called before God to answer for how we used the gifts he gave us.
God is going to ask us to answer for how we used His gifts to us. He will ask if we shared our resources with those in need. Did we show compassion for the aged and sick? Did we practice brotherly love to all God’s children regardless of race, creed, marital situation or sexual orientation?
Christ in the Beatitudes gave us the instructions and the way to live when He preached in the Sermon on the Mount and the parables like The Good Samaritan.
As The Gospel readings for this coming Sunday and the Readings from Last Sunday have made extremely clear there is one way, and one way only to god and that is keeping what Christ called the Greatest Commandments; “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is THIS; YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” , and remembering that we NEVER know when our end time will come so we had better be prepared and brgin to place God at the center and forefront of our lives and make time for him not only on Sunday, but every day that we live. AMEN
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sunday May 8th Reflection
In The Breaking of the Bread
A Reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Lent 2011 By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
“Were not the Scriptures open and our hearts burning within us as He spoke?” “By the breaking of the Bread their eyes were opened to them” These words taken from the Gospel of today should give us pause to think. What would it take for us to recognize Christ today?
Jesus told us He came to bring a new covenant, a clearer meaning of all that had been written before by the prophets. Jesus came into being, sent by Almighty God, to open up the scriptures to all people of all nations, races and genders.
Jesus came to simplify the message of Scripture for everyone.
Jesus came to dispel the idea that God was a vengeful God, but was a God of mercy, forgiveness and Love. Last Sunday we celebrated the feast honoring the Divine Mercy of God but even in light of all that has happened since the disciples met Christ on the road to Emmaus and chatted with him but did not recognize him until he sat with them and broke the bread there are people who do not accept or believe.
Jesus told us that the greatest commandments were “You shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Luke 10:27” “Do this and you shall live” (Luke 10:28)
I do not think that Christ’s teaching could be any clearer. Yet, throughout the entire history of the Christian faith, men try to impose all sorts of rules, regulations and conditions onto this basic message often preventing those who desire to know, love and serve God from doing so.
I grant you, that sin interferes with our expression of love for God. So what is sin? Sin is anything that hurts another, sin is anything that defames or injures your body, soul and mind or another person.
In short, sin is doing anything that does not acknowledge your love of your neighbor or yourself.
In order to accomplish this act of love for God and all His children, we need strength to overcome the many temptations that plague us every day.
We get that strength from frequent prayer (conversations with God), participation in partaking of the bread of life given to us by Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. “Take, eat, This is my body” (Matthew 26:26) “As often as you do this you do so in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25).
The Eucharist is much more than just a remembrance of Jesus Christ, it is His Body and Blood given to us to assimilate into our body’s giving us the strength to overcome the enticement of Satan.
In the Breaking of the bread, we call to mind the way Christ’s body was broken because of our sins.
In the mixing of the water and wine, we call to mind the blood and water that poured forth from Christ’s side when pierced by the lance.
Every time we receive the Eucharist, we strengthen our ability to repel sin.
Just as the disciples, whose hearts were ablaze with the Scriptures being opened to them when this stranger they met traveling to Emmaus told them “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” it was not until the invited stranger sat with that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, the Risen Christ when “he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
We too can have our hearts and eyes opened to Christ, living in our midst, through the Eucharist and by looking for the qualities that a follower of Christ should be exhibiting; compassion for the poor, aged homeless and unemployed, forgiveness toward those who have wronged them in any way, generosity with the gifts that God has given them and love of all they encounter as they travel life’s road.
We can deepen that recognition of Jesus by daily prayer and scripture reading.
Christ is the one and only head of the church, all the rest of us are mere servants of Christ who are here to shepherd and guide His flock toward the promised reward of everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect when our days on this earthly plane are over. AMEN
A Reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Lent 2011 By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
“Were not the Scriptures open and our hearts burning within us as He spoke?” “By the breaking of the Bread their eyes were opened to them” These words taken from the Gospel of today should give us pause to think. What would it take for us to recognize Christ today?
Jesus told us He came to bring a new covenant, a clearer meaning of all that had been written before by the prophets. Jesus came into being, sent by Almighty God, to open up the scriptures to all people of all nations, races and genders.
Jesus came to simplify the message of Scripture for everyone.
Jesus came to dispel the idea that God was a vengeful God, but was a God of mercy, forgiveness and Love. Last Sunday we celebrated the feast honoring the Divine Mercy of God but even in light of all that has happened since the disciples met Christ on the road to Emmaus and chatted with him but did not recognize him until he sat with them and broke the bread there are people who do not accept or believe.
Jesus told us that the greatest commandments were “You shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Luke 10:27” “Do this and you shall live” (Luke 10:28)
I do not think that Christ’s teaching could be any clearer. Yet, throughout the entire history of the Christian faith, men try to impose all sorts of rules, regulations and conditions onto this basic message often preventing those who desire to know, love and serve God from doing so.
I grant you, that sin interferes with our expression of love for God. So what is sin? Sin is anything that hurts another, sin is anything that defames or injures your body, soul and mind or another person.
In short, sin is doing anything that does not acknowledge your love of your neighbor or yourself.
In order to accomplish this act of love for God and all His children, we need strength to overcome the many temptations that plague us every day.
We get that strength from frequent prayer (conversations with God), participation in partaking of the bread of life given to us by Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. “Take, eat, This is my body” (Matthew 26:26) “As often as you do this you do so in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25).
The Eucharist is much more than just a remembrance of Jesus Christ, it is His Body and Blood given to us to assimilate into our body’s giving us the strength to overcome the enticement of Satan.
In the Breaking of the bread, we call to mind the way Christ’s body was broken because of our sins.
In the mixing of the water and wine, we call to mind the blood and water that poured forth from Christ’s side when pierced by the lance.
Every time we receive the Eucharist, we strengthen our ability to repel sin.
Just as the disciples, whose hearts were ablaze with the Scriptures being opened to them when this stranger they met traveling to Emmaus told them “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” it was not until the invited stranger sat with that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, the Risen Christ when “he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
We too can have our hearts and eyes opened to Christ, living in our midst, through the Eucharist and by looking for the qualities that a follower of Christ should be exhibiting; compassion for the poor, aged homeless and unemployed, forgiveness toward those who have wronged them in any way, generosity with the gifts that God has given them and love of all they encounter as they travel life’s road.
We can deepen that recognition of Jesus by daily prayer and scripture reading.
Christ is the one and only head of the church, all the rest of us are mere servants of Christ who are here to shepherd and guide His flock toward the promised reward of everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect when our days on this earthly plane are over. AMEN
Saturday, April 23, 2011
An Easter Reflection
Be Not Afraid, He is Risen
An Easter Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
.www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
Alleluia, Alleluia “This is the Day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24). “Do not be Afraid, You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, He is not here, He has risen” (Mark 16:6). “Why do you search for the living among the Dead” (Luke24: 5 ) “He is not here, He has been raised, exactly as He had promised” (Matthew 28:6).
These words taken from the four gospels telling of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ should have special meaning for us and fill us with hope and trust in God.
The first phrase, one that I especially love and keep deep in my heart, is “Do Not Be Afraid” simply put, if you have faith in God and the truly believe the promises of Jesus Christ, there is nothing in life that you need to be afraid of. By placing your trust in the will of God and believing that everything in life has a God given purpose, even the dissention that causes separation, bickering, and the power seeking of all those who profess to be followers of Christ.
In these days where division seems to be all around us in government and even faith communities we need to seek out what the root cause of it is. At the heart of most of the discourse is the desire for power, control and most of all, MONEY.
How foolish are we mere mortals, we allow our pride, greed and envy to cloud our eyes so that we forget the message proclaimed by Jesus through His resurrection. The message that with God, all things can be conquered, even death. We also seem to conveniently forget what Christ has taught us by His life, words and deeds. “Love one another as I have loved You”
Christ proved His love for us in the ultimate way, by willingly accepting death, not just any death, but the ignominious death of crucifixion. What greater love can a person have but to be willing to give up their own life for another.
Christ not only conquered death, he conquered our sins because by His overcoming death and with His resurrection he brought us forgiveness for our weaknesses and gained for us the promise of everlasting life.
Jesus came to us from Almighty God to be a “Rabbouni” teacher to us. He came to teach us the way to our own salvation and glory. The sad thing is, all too often, we are either not willing to truly hear the teachings of Christ or if we do hear them we choose not to follow them because they are inconvenient for us.
All the proclamations of Halleluiah, all the prayers, all the ceremonial trappings and fancy vestments are for naught if we do not follow them through with actions. If we do not assist the poor and needy, speak out against injustice and discrimination and share our gifts with those who are less fortunate. We need to affirm, as Mary Magdalene did when she proclaimed “Rabbouni” that Jesus was the teacher and we learned His lessons and follow them.
Jesus was, is still, and always will be the head of the church. He is still directing those who believe through the Holy Spirit, “the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the son. With the Father and the son, is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.” (Nicene Creed)
He speaks to each and every one of us who desire to know His truth and seek it out. He does not just speak to the hierarchy but to all who, through Baptism, have been called to “priesthood” not just those who have been consecrated as “Presbyters”.
Each and every person who has been born again in Baptism need to open their own hearts and minds to listen for the voice of God speaking within us and judge how what we are feeling and hearing complies with what Christ taught us in not only His words but by His actions.
We need to acknowledge Christ by seeking the truth as found in His teachings. We need to act in our daily lives in the manner that Jesus instructed us.
“Why do you search for the living (Jesus) among the dead? “He has been raised, exactly as He promised”
Jesus is alive; he is alive in the hearts and souls of all those who have been reborn through Baptism and who faithfully live according to His instructions. Christ is alive in every person who partakes of the “living Bread” he gave us in the Eucharist.
He gave himself to us, died for us and rose from the dead to conquer forever death from sin. Jesus taught us the way in order for us to know how to carry on His work here on earth while he and the Father watch over us.
On this Easter day, we need to believe and accept God’s will as taught by Christ in words, deed and actions and emulate them in our life.
On this glorious day when we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Let each of us who believe in Him and accept the call to “Come Follow Me” (Luke 18:22) work together to bring all who believe in the message and teachings of Christ together. Each and every one of us needs to make a concerted effort to repair the breaches that have torn us apart into separate factions, usually over some man made regulations that were instituted for the purpose of gaining control, power or political gain and which have nothing to do with God‘s will.
There is only one God. There was only one Jesus Christ. Christ, though His Apostles established one church, one faith.
It was not until that church, for political gain under Constantine, began to selectively pick and choose the teaching that fit their agenda and objectives that separation began and culminated when one Bishop decided that He, and only He was infallible and those who were supposed to be his equals were now subservient to him.
Every Baptized Christian is called to be God’s servants, His disciples.
All of us are called to live our faith and the teachings of Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions and not just by giving lip service.
We need to not only talk the talk but we need to Walk the walk.
Those of us who have been called to be shepherds and presbyters of His flock need find ways to work together with one voice just as Jesus spoke with one voice.
We need to stop the name calling and jockeying for power and financial gain and come together in unity with one message, the message that Christ claimed was the two greatest commandments, “Love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
By living that way when we proclaim, “Alleluia, Alleluia, This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be Glad, Jesus Christ has risen, Jesus is alive. Alleluia, Alleluia.” on Easter Sunday morning we are saying that Jesus lives today in each of us and we are attempting to live in accord with His teachings every day.
Let us pray; “Give praise to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever. Alleluia, Alleluia. Send down Your spirit of love upon us and through your goodness make us of one mind who you have bless with the Paschal Sacrament. All glory honor and praise be yours, now and forever. AMEN.
An Easter Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
.www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
Alleluia, Alleluia “This is the Day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24). “Do not be Afraid, You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, He is not here, He has risen” (Mark 16:6). “Why do you search for the living among the Dead” (Luke24: 5 ) “He is not here, He has been raised, exactly as He had promised” (Matthew 28:6).
These words taken from the four gospels telling of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ should have special meaning for us and fill us with hope and trust in God.
The first phrase, one that I especially love and keep deep in my heart, is “Do Not Be Afraid” simply put, if you have faith in God and the truly believe the promises of Jesus Christ, there is nothing in life that you need to be afraid of. By placing your trust in the will of God and believing that everything in life has a God given purpose, even the dissention that causes separation, bickering, and the power seeking of all those who profess to be followers of Christ.
In these days where division seems to be all around us in government and even faith communities we need to seek out what the root cause of it is. At the heart of most of the discourse is the desire for power, control and most of all, MONEY.
How foolish are we mere mortals, we allow our pride, greed and envy to cloud our eyes so that we forget the message proclaimed by Jesus through His resurrection. The message that with God, all things can be conquered, even death. We also seem to conveniently forget what Christ has taught us by His life, words and deeds. “Love one another as I have loved You”
Christ proved His love for us in the ultimate way, by willingly accepting death, not just any death, but the ignominious death of crucifixion. What greater love can a person have but to be willing to give up their own life for another.
Christ not only conquered death, he conquered our sins because by His overcoming death and with His resurrection he brought us forgiveness for our weaknesses and gained for us the promise of everlasting life.
Jesus came to us from Almighty God to be a “Rabbouni” teacher to us. He came to teach us the way to our own salvation and glory. The sad thing is, all too often, we are either not willing to truly hear the teachings of Christ or if we do hear them we choose not to follow them because they are inconvenient for us.
All the proclamations of Halleluiah, all the prayers, all the ceremonial trappings and fancy vestments are for naught if we do not follow them through with actions. If we do not assist the poor and needy, speak out against injustice and discrimination and share our gifts with those who are less fortunate. We need to affirm, as Mary Magdalene did when she proclaimed “Rabbouni” that Jesus was the teacher and we learned His lessons and follow them.
Jesus was, is still, and always will be the head of the church. He is still directing those who believe through the Holy Spirit, “the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the son. With the Father and the son, is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets.” (Nicene Creed)
He speaks to each and every one of us who desire to know His truth and seek it out. He does not just speak to the hierarchy but to all who, through Baptism, have been called to “priesthood” not just those who have been consecrated as “Presbyters”.
Each and every person who has been born again in Baptism need to open their own hearts and minds to listen for the voice of God speaking within us and judge how what we are feeling and hearing complies with what Christ taught us in not only His words but by His actions.
We need to acknowledge Christ by seeking the truth as found in His teachings. We need to act in our daily lives in the manner that Jesus instructed us.
“Why do you search for the living (Jesus) among the dead? “He has been raised, exactly as He promised”
Jesus is alive; he is alive in the hearts and souls of all those who have been reborn through Baptism and who faithfully live according to His instructions. Christ is alive in every person who partakes of the “living Bread” he gave us in the Eucharist.
He gave himself to us, died for us and rose from the dead to conquer forever death from sin. Jesus taught us the way in order for us to know how to carry on His work here on earth while he and the Father watch over us.
On this Easter day, we need to believe and accept God’s will as taught by Christ in words, deed and actions and emulate them in our life.
On this glorious day when we celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Let each of us who believe in Him and accept the call to “Come Follow Me” (Luke 18:22) work together to bring all who believe in the message and teachings of Christ together. Each and every one of us needs to make a concerted effort to repair the breaches that have torn us apart into separate factions, usually over some man made regulations that were instituted for the purpose of gaining control, power or political gain and which have nothing to do with God‘s will.
There is only one God. There was only one Jesus Christ. Christ, though His Apostles established one church, one faith.
It was not until that church, for political gain under Constantine, began to selectively pick and choose the teaching that fit their agenda and objectives that separation began and culminated when one Bishop decided that He, and only He was infallible and those who were supposed to be his equals were now subservient to him.
Every Baptized Christian is called to be God’s servants, His disciples.
All of us are called to live our faith and the teachings of Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions and not just by giving lip service.
We need to not only talk the talk but we need to Walk the walk.
Those of us who have been called to be shepherds and presbyters of His flock need find ways to work together with one voice just as Jesus spoke with one voice.
We need to stop the name calling and jockeying for power and financial gain and come together in unity with one message, the message that Christ claimed was the two greatest commandments, “Love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as you love yourself”
By living that way when we proclaim, “Alleluia, Alleluia, This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be Glad, Jesus Christ has risen, Jesus is alive. Alleluia, Alleluia.” on Easter Sunday morning we are saying that Jesus lives today in each of us and we are attempting to live in accord with His teachings every day.
Let us pray; “Give praise to the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever. Alleluia, Alleluia. Send down Your spirit of love upon us and through your goodness make us of one mind who you have bless with the Paschal Sacrament. All glory honor and praise be yours, now and forever. AMEN.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Holy Saturday Reflection 2011
Holy Saturday Reflection
The Day of The Tomb
A Reflection for Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
"We Adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the World" these words we say during the Stations of the Cross are a powerful affirmation of what this entire Lenten season is all about. Without Christ's death, we would not have the gift of redemption. When Jesus went to the cross, he did so willingly. He knew that he was taking all the sins of the world with him. That by the shedding of His blood, Christ made peace by reconciling everything with God according to Saint Paul. By Christ's death, a new light was brought to all men.
Today is commonly called Holy Saturday for many reasons the most obvious one is that it comes at the end of Holy Week. Holy Saturday in Latin is, Sabbatum Sanctum, which means the "Day of the entombed Christ" because it is the day Christ's body lay in His tomb. We reference it in the Apostle's Creed when we say "He descended unto the dead."
Holy Saturday is a day of suspense between two worlds, that of darkness, sin and death, and that of the Resurrection and the restoration of the Light of the World through Christ's rising from the dead through which we gained everlasting live because when he rose we overcome our death by sin.
Because of this reason no masses are held until the Easter Vigil begins that evening.
At Nightfall on Holy Saturday the Easter Vigil service or, Great Service of Light begins and it is a time of expectation as well as joy. The Easter Vigil Liturgy was restored to the liturgy in 1955, during the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council.
The Sacred Liturgy of the Easter Vigil signifies Christ's passage from the dead to living and it begins in darkness (sin, death) and is enlightened by the new fire and the candle representing Lumen Christi - the Light of Christ or the Paschal Candle. The Candle signifies The light of Christ's Truth by which the Mystical Body of Christ, the community of believers, is led from spiritual darkness to the light of God's truth.
Christ's baptism, which our own baptism imitates, is represented during the liturgy by the blessing of the water of baptism by immersing ("burying") the candle representing His Body into the font
During the liturgy we recall God's sparing of the Hebrews whose doors were marked with the blood of the lamb; when we are sprinkled with the blessed water by which we were cleansed from original sin through Christ's sacrifice, and we repeat our baptismal vows, renouncing Satan and all his works.
When a parish has people who had not been baptized as children or Confirmed and who had gone through the preparation period known as RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults) The entire faith community will be present as they are Baptized and/or Confirmed. This year our Faith Community of St. Joseph Cupertino in Fall River Massachusetts will be welcoming into the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church, 6 persons and I am pleased I will be a part of that glorious celebration as a co-celebrant.
The Easter Vigil Mass rejoices at Christ's bodily resurrection from the darkness of the tomb; and we pray for our passage from death into eternal life, from sin into grace from the anguish of the Cross to complete peace and infinite mercy and love of God, and from this sinful world unto the everlasting live with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all the heavenly elect in heaven.
The Sacred Liturgy of the Easter Vigil celebrates Christ's offering himself up as the sacrificial lamb on the cross through which we gained the promise of everlasting life. Without the cross, the tree that gave us the promise of everlasting life, we would still be floundering around in the darkness of sin and confusion.
The triumph of Christ is not something of the past, it is a living thing. It is something we are called to live every day.
When we are faced with oppression, illness, rejection, alienation we need to recall that all these were faced by Jesus Christ. By his life and death, Christ made holy every aspect of the human experience. We need to look upon our lives and live them with that in mind.
Our lives are holy, they are holy if we are willing to work hard to live by the example Christ gave us.
Christ spoke out against injustice, Christ welcomed the outcast, Christ challenged the unjust rules and regulations of His time and we are called to do all of the same.
The cross is a symbol of Christ's triumph and this Paschal Season is our liturgical means of participating in Christ's gift of redemption.
Our challenge is to live by the lessons Christ gave us every day of every year.
Let us then celebrate Christ's willingness to suffer the indignities of the passion and a criminal's death on the cross, which brought us the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation and make it ours by being faithful to Him and carrying our crosses proudly for all the world to see by our actions and daily life.
In today's society there are many crosses being offered for us to take up.
Can we carry the cross of speaking out against injustice even though it may bring us scorn and reproach by friends and family?
Can we speak out against acts of discrimination and bigotry even though by doing so we may find ourselves in the minority?
Do we have what it takes to allow ourselves to be stripped of all our pretensions and allow the world to see our true selves?
Can we give of ourselves enough to be of assistance to those who are not able to provide the basic necessities of life for themselves?
All these are things that require us to give of ourselves and deny ourselves of being comfortable with the status quo.
Let us not only renew our Baptismal vows but let's promise to be work harder every day to live our life in accord with Christ's teaching to Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and body and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves which means we become more mindful of the needs of others and not just our own needs. AMEN
The Day of The Tomb
A Reflection for Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
"We Adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the World" these words we say during the Stations of the Cross are a powerful affirmation of what this entire Lenten season is all about. Without Christ's death, we would not have the gift of redemption. When Jesus went to the cross, he did so willingly. He knew that he was taking all the sins of the world with him. That by the shedding of His blood, Christ made peace by reconciling everything with God according to Saint Paul. By Christ's death, a new light was brought to all men.
Today is commonly called Holy Saturday for many reasons the most obvious one is that it comes at the end of Holy Week. Holy Saturday in Latin is, Sabbatum Sanctum, which means the "Day of the entombed Christ" because it is the day Christ's body lay in His tomb. We reference it in the Apostle's Creed when we say "He descended unto the dead."
Holy Saturday is a day of suspense between two worlds, that of darkness, sin and death, and that of the Resurrection and the restoration of the Light of the World through Christ's rising from the dead through which we gained everlasting live because when he rose we overcome our death by sin.
Because of this reason no masses are held until the Easter Vigil begins that evening.
At Nightfall on Holy Saturday the Easter Vigil service or, Great Service of Light begins and it is a time of expectation as well as joy. The Easter Vigil Liturgy was restored to the liturgy in 1955, during the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council.
The Sacred Liturgy of the Easter Vigil signifies Christ's passage from the dead to living and it begins in darkness (sin, death) and is enlightened by the new fire and the candle representing Lumen Christi - the Light of Christ or the Paschal Candle. The Candle signifies The light of Christ's Truth by which the Mystical Body of Christ, the community of believers, is led from spiritual darkness to the light of God's truth.
Christ's baptism, which our own baptism imitates, is represented during the liturgy by the blessing of the water of baptism by immersing ("burying") the candle representing His Body into the font
During the liturgy we recall God's sparing of the Hebrews whose doors were marked with the blood of the lamb; when we are sprinkled with the blessed water by which we were cleansed from original sin through Christ's sacrifice, and we repeat our baptismal vows, renouncing Satan and all his works.
When a parish has people who had not been baptized as children or Confirmed and who had gone through the preparation period known as RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults) The entire faith community will be present as they are Baptized and/or Confirmed. This year our Faith Community of St. Joseph Cupertino in Fall River Massachusetts will be welcoming into the Mystical Body of Christ, The Church, 6 persons and I am pleased I will be a part of that glorious celebration as a co-celebrant.
The Easter Vigil Mass rejoices at Christ's bodily resurrection from the darkness of the tomb; and we pray for our passage from death into eternal life, from sin into grace from the anguish of the Cross to complete peace and infinite mercy and love of God, and from this sinful world unto the everlasting live with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all the heavenly elect in heaven.
The Sacred Liturgy of the Easter Vigil celebrates Christ's offering himself up as the sacrificial lamb on the cross through which we gained the promise of everlasting life. Without the cross, the tree that gave us the promise of everlasting life, we would still be floundering around in the darkness of sin and confusion.
The triumph of Christ is not something of the past, it is a living thing. It is something we are called to live every day.
When we are faced with oppression, illness, rejection, alienation we need to recall that all these were faced by Jesus Christ. By his life and death, Christ made holy every aspect of the human experience. We need to look upon our lives and live them with that in mind.
Our lives are holy, they are holy if we are willing to work hard to live by the example Christ gave us.
Christ spoke out against injustice, Christ welcomed the outcast, Christ challenged the unjust rules and regulations of His time and we are called to do all of the same.
The cross is a symbol of Christ's triumph and this Paschal Season is our liturgical means of participating in Christ's gift of redemption.
Our challenge is to live by the lessons Christ gave us every day of every year.
Let us then celebrate Christ's willingness to suffer the indignities of the passion and a criminal's death on the cross, which brought us the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation and make it ours by being faithful to Him and carrying our crosses proudly for all the world to see by our actions and daily life.
In today's society there are many crosses being offered for us to take up.
Can we carry the cross of speaking out against injustice even though it may bring us scorn and reproach by friends and family?
Can we speak out against acts of discrimination and bigotry even though by doing so we may find ourselves in the minority?
Do we have what it takes to allow ourselves to be stripped of all our pretensions and allow the world to see our true selves?
Can we give of ourselves enough to be of assistance to those who are not able to provide the basic necessities of life for themselves?
All these are things that require us to give of ourselves and deny ourselves of being comfortable with the status quo.
Let us not only renew our Baptismal vows but let's promise to be work harder every day to live our life in accord with Christ's teaching to Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and body and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves which means we become more mindful of the needs of others and not just our own needs. AMEN
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Holy Thursday 2011
This is My Body, This is My Blood
A Reflection for Holy Thursday 2011
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercxy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
For more than 3000 years, the Jewish people have celebrated a Seder which is called Pesakh, Pesach, Pesah), or Festival of Unleavened Bread to remember the exodus from Egypt.
The Exodus includes the deliverance from slavery in Egypt as well as the covenant between God and His people at Sinai.
Jesus and His followers, like faithful Jewish person gathered together to fulfill their obligation of celebrating the memorial of the feast of Passover.
The word for memorial in Hebrew is Zikkaron and in Greek is ( anamnesis) meaning a liturgical celebration that celebrates and re-presents past mysteries of salvation.
If you remember the story, Moses told his people to sacrifice an unblemished young lamb and slaughter it and spread the blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, in that way the angel of Death that would sweep through Egypt would spare all those within.
The Jewish people were told to remember this passing on the fourteenth day of the first month of their calendar year. (For 2011, the Passover begins at sundown Monday April 18th)
This memorial celebration is what Jesus and His followers were celebrating at the Last Supper.
The Passover “Haggadah” or telling is broken into 15 divisions or order of the Seder.
The Passover celebration today is a celebration of all the deliverances God has provided and Jews still look for the final deliverance and exodus of the coming of the Messiah.
Christians see Christ as the person who fulfilled all things that the prophets foretold the Messiah.
Even the title “Christ” means the anointed one, which is what Messiah means in Hebrew.
Christ told us he came to bring us a new covenant, Christ became the sacrificial Lamb of Passover.
It was His blood that set us free from the bondage of sin.
Even the words that Jesus spoke and we proclaim at every liturgy of the Eucharist “ Blessed are you O Lord our God, king of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth” in Hebrew (Barukh ata Adonay, Elohenu, melekh ha olam, Ha motzi lechem min ha aretz) are the words Jesus spoke.
When Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to His apostles saying, “This is my Body, take and eat” and the wine “This is my Blood, the Blood of the new covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is remembrance of me” He became the sacrificial lamb of the Passover.
Every time we participate in the Eucharistic Celebration we are reliving the Passover Celebration, we are carrying out the command of Jesus Christ that we celebrate the memorial feast “The memorial feast of our redemption”, we recall the memory of Jesus Christ, His suffering, death and resurrection.
It is most unfortunate that our English language does not really convey very well the true biblical meaning of memorial (anamnesis {GREEK} and Zikkaron{Hebrew}.
Like the Jewish people who this week are faithfully following the old covenant made by Moses with God.
We, who believe Christ to be the promised one of the prophets, continue with the NEW COVANENT that Christ created on that Passover eve more than 1978 years ago when we participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy, We personally die and rise with Christ and we become redeemed together with Him.
By understanding the Passover, we can better understand the beautiful and fulfilling mystery of our faith and of the Eucharistic celebration.
Let us work together to realize that as true believers of Christ we need to honor and respect the traditions of the faith that gave us our redeemer and savior Jesus Christ.
Every time we partake of the Eucharist, The Bread of Life, we are strengthened with God’s infinite mercy and love to endure life’s difficulties as Christ endured His suffering for our sake.
A Reflection for Holy Thursday 2011
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercxy
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
For more than 3000 years, the Jewish people have celebrated a Seder which is called Pesakh, Pesach, Pesah), or Festival of Unleavened Bread to remember the exodus from Egypt.
The Exodus includes the deliverance from slavery in Egypt as well as the covenant between God and His people at Sinai.
Jesus and His followers, like faithful Jewish person gathered together to fulfill their obligation of celebrating the memorial of the feast of Passover.
The word for memorial in Hebrew is Zikkaron and in Greek is ( anamnesis) meaning a liturgical celebration that celebrates and re-presents past mysteries of salvation.
If you remember the story, Moses told his people to sacrifice an unblemished young lamb and slaughter it and spread the blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, in that way the angel of Death that would sweep through Egypt would spare all those within.
The Jewish people were told to remember this passing on the fourteenth day of the first month of their calendar year. (For 2011, the Passover begins at sundown Monday April 18th)
This memorial celebration is what Jesus and His followers were celebrating at the Last Supper.
The Passover “Haggadah” or telling is broken into 15 divisions or order of the Seder.
The Passover celebration today is a celebration of all the deliverances God has provided and Jews still look for the final deliverance and exodus of the coming of the Messiah.
Christians see Christ as the person who fulfilled all things that the prophets foretold the Messiah.
Even the title “Christ” means the anointed one, which is what Messiah means in Hebrew.
Christ told us he came to bring us a new covenant, Christ became the sacrificial Lamb of Passover.
It was His blood that set us free from the bondage of sin.
Even the words that Jesus spoke and we proclaim at every liturgy of the Eucharist “ Blessed are you O Lord our God, king of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth” in Hebrew (Barukh ata Adonay, Elohenu, melekh ha olam, Ha motzi lechem min ha aretz) are the words Jesus spoke.
When Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to His apostles saying, “This is my Body, take and eat” and the wine “This is my Blood, the Blood of the new covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is remembrance of me” He became the sacrificial lamb of the Passover.
Every time we participate in the Eucharistic Celebration we are reliving the Passover Celebration, we are carrying out the command of Jesus Christ that we celebrate the memorial feast “The memorial feast of our redemption”, we recall the memory of Jesus Christ, His suffering, death and resurrection.
It is most unfortunate that our English language does not really convey very well the true biblical meaning of memorial (anamnesis {GREEK} and Zikkaron{Hebrew}.
Like the Jewish people who this week are faithfully following the old covenant made by Moses with God.
We, who believe Christ to be the promised one of the prophets, continue with the NEW COVANENT that Christ created on that Passover eve more than 1978 years ago when we participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy, We personally die and rise with Christ and we become redeemed together with Him.
By understanding the Passover, we can better understand the beautiful and fulfilling mystery of our faith and of the Eucharistic celebration.
Let us work together to realize that as true believers of Christ we need to honor and respect the traditions of the faith that gave us our redeemer and savior Jesus Christ.
Every time we partake of the Eucharist, The Bread of Life, we are strengthened with God’s infinite mercy and love to endure life’s difficulties as Christ endured His suffering for our sake.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Palm Sunday Reflection
Palm Sunday 2011
A Reflection for Palm Sunday by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Divine Mercy Franciscans
Divine Mercy Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
Today we celebrate Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem but we must keep in mind it marks the beginning of the week that details the suffering that Christ was willing to endure so we could have forgiveness of our sins and achieve everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect.
The week highlights what Christ was willing to GIVE UP in order for us to receive forgiveness of our sins.
For this reason throughout all of the history of the church the faithful have been asked to GIVE UP some of the comforts and luxuries that make our lives pleasurable.
As a Franciscan I and the members of our Divine Mercy Franciscans follow the rule of St. Francis who is most often shown surrounded by animals not just because he respected all of God’s creatures but because they reminded him of Christ’s teaching found in Matthew 6 :26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
St. Francis saw in animals a vision of the poverty of God, a freedom for life not dependent on possessions, a freedom that lives by giving and receiving, rather than by possessing.
The hallmark of St. Francis’ commitment to life with and for the poor is the practice of voluntary begging. Voluntary begging, for Francis, is the act of intentionally and publically relying on the charity of others for the sake of one’s livelihood and a means of caring for those who are in need because of illness, age, poverty and homelessness.
Item one of the Rule of St. Francis it states “This is the rule and way of living of the brothers: namely to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without personal possessions”, and Item 6 it states “The brothers shall appropriate nothing to themselves, neither a house, nor a place, nor anything; but as pilgrims and strangers in this world, in poverty and humility serving God, they shall confidently go seeking for alms. Nor need they be ashamed, for the Lord became poor for us in this world even to giving up His earthly live in order for us to gain forgiveness of our sins and achieve everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect. .”
On this Palm Sunday and the final week of Lent called Holy Week this reflection will talk about specific ways we can practice self-denial to and in a small way participate in a very small way in the suffering that Christ endured during his week of passion.
It is so easy for us to be attracted to material riches and the creature comforts they often provide but to be true followers of Christ we need to make a categorical decision not to let them become an idol we honor more than we honor God.
One way we can overcome this constant temptation and respond to our neighbor's needs by share with others what God in His generosity has given to us or allowed us to earn is to make a donation of the cost of what we give up to a charity or your faith community so they can help others as St. Francis instructs in his rule item 6.
Saint Paul, in Romans 15:25-27 speaks of the collection for the Faith Community of Jerusalem which tells us that even in the early church the work of proclaiming the Good News of Salvation required all the faithful to participate and care for each other. It is no different today.
A Faith Community is only as successful as how many of the community get involved in doing the work of God by providing the means to do it.
There is no better way for us to show our intercommunion and fellowship with the Body of Christ than to “Do unto others as we would have done unto us.” (John 15:13)
All over the world ministries and churches are having difficulty meeting the basic needs of their faith communities. Even here in the United States many faith Communities have difficulty because of and the sluggish economy meeting the weekly operating expenses let alone fulfilling the food, shelter, and other services the poor, aged and sick of their area need due to high unemployment.
I hear the same story from pastors all over this country how they are struggling and having difficulties because collections and donations have dropped drastically
Recently a Boston Globe story reported that the average per person weekly income of the Greater Boston are is $1000 (One Thousand Dollars) a week. Considering that there are many who do not receive even $250 a week, I have to wonder what others must be making for the average to be that high and how those on the high end of the wage scale are helping those at the bottom.
The average weekly salary in the area is more than I receive to live on for a whole month and I use some of my income to support the needs of our ministry.
If everyone reading or listening to this reflection would just give the cost of a daily cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks for the week to their Church the result would make a huge impact.
I pray that everyone who this reflection reaches will reflect on their sharing of the gifts God has given them to have, especially in light of how the recent disaster in Japan reminded us how quickly everything can be lost, consider making an offering that helps those less fortunate the impact could be awesome.
The Church from the earliest times has called on Christ’s followers to give of themselves as Christ was willing to give for us.
Giving up something does nothing unless it also has a positive result like Christ’s Passion and Death.
As Paul reminds us in Romans 15:25; “ I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”
May Almighty God inspire you during this last week of Lent to be merciful and generous to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ and neighbors of the world for it is not what we have given up that will open the gates of heaven, but what we have done to help others. AMEN
A Reflection for Palm Sunday by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Divine Mercy Franciscans
Divine Mercy Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org
Today we celebrate Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem but we must keep in mind it marks the beginning of the week that details the suffering that Christ was willing to endure so we could have forgiveness of our sins and achieve everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect.
The week highlights what Christ was willing to GIVE UP in order for us to receive forgiveness of our sins.
For this reason throughout all of the history of the church the faithful have been asked to GIVE UP some of the comforts and luxuries that make our lives pleasurable.
As a Franciscan I and the members of our Divine Mercy Franciscans follow the rule of St. Francis who is most often shown surrounded by animals not just because he respected all of God’s creatures but because they reminded him of Christ’s teaching found in Matthew 6 :26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
St. Francis saw in animals a vision of the poverty of God, a freedom for life not dependent on possessions, a freedom that lives by giving and receiving, rather than by possessing.
The hallmark of St. Francis’ commitment to life with and for the poor is the practice of voluntary begging. Voluntary begging, for Francis, is the act of intentionally and publically relying on the charity of others for the sake of one’s livelihood and a means of caring for those who are in need because of illness, age, poverty and homelessness.
Item one of the Rule of St. Francis it states “This is the rule and way of living of the brothers: namely to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without personal possessions”, and Item 6 it states “The brothers shall appropriate nothing to themselves, neither a house, nor a place, nor anything; but as pilgrims and strangers in this world, in poverty and humility serving God, they shall confidently go seeking for alms. Nor need they be ashamed, for the Lord became poor for us in this world even to giving up His earthly live in order for us to gain forgiveness of our sins and achieve everlasting life with God and all the heavenly elect. .”
On this Palm Sunday and the final week of Lent called Holy Week this reflection will talk about specific ways we can practice self-denial to and in a small way participate in a very small way in the suffering that Christ endured during his week of passion.
It is so easy for us to be attracted to material riches and the creature comforts they often provide but to be true followers of Christ we need to make a categorical decision not to let them become an idol we honor more than we honor God.
One way we can overcome this constant temptation and respond to our neighbor's needs by share with others what God in His generosity has given to us or allowed us to earn is to make a donation of the cost of what we give up to a charity or your faith community so they can help others as St. Francis instructs in his rule item 6.
Saint Paul, in Romans 15:25-27 speaks of the collection for the Faith Community of Jerusalem which tells us that even in the early church the work of proclaiming the Good News of Salvation required all the faithful to participate and care for each other. It is no different today.
A Faith Community is only as successful as how many of the community get involved in doing the work of God by providing the means to do it.
There is no better way for us to show our intercommunion and fellowship with the Body of Christ than to “Do unto others as we would have done unto us.” (John 15:13)
All over the world ministries and churches are having difficulty meeting the basic needs of their faith communities. Even here in the United States many faith Communities have difficulty because of and the sluggish economy meeting the weekly operating expenses let alone fulfilling the food, shelter, and other services the poor, aged and sick of their area need due to high unemployment.
I hear the same story from pastors all over this country how they are struggling and having difficulties because collections and donations have dropped drastically
Recently a Boston Globe story reported that the average per person weekly income of the Greater Boston are is $1000 (One Thousand Dollars) a week. Considering that there are many who do not receive even $250 a week, I have to wonder what others must be making for the average to be that high and how those on the high end of the wage scale are helping those at the bottom.
The average weekly salary in the area is more than I receive to live on for a whole month and I use some of my income to support the needs of our ministry.
If everyone reading or listening to this reflection would just give the cost of a daily cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks for the week to their Church the result would make a huge impact.
I pray that everyone who this reflection reaches will reflect on their sharing of the gifts God has given them to have, especially in light of how the recent disaster in Japan reminded us how quickly everything can be lost, consider making an offering that helps those less fortunate the impact could be awesome.
The Church from the earliest times has called on Christ’s followers to give of themselves as Christ was willing to give for us.
Giving up something does nothing unless it also has a positive result like Christ’s Passion and Death.
As Paul reminds us in Romans 15:25; “ I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”
May Almighty God inspire you during this last week of Lent to be merciful and generous to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ and neighbors of the world for it is not what we have given up that will open the gates of heaven, but what we have done to help others. AMEN
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Reflection for the %th Sunday of Lent
I Am The Resurrection, Do You Believe?
A Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent 2011
Based on Ezekiel 37:12 - 14, Psalm 129 (130), Romans 8:8 - 11, John 11:1 - 45
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
http://www.missionstsergius.org/,
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
This week’s readings are filled with hope and promise for us. The reading from the book of Ezekiel has the following instruction for us: “hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption” (Ezekiel 37:12 - 14). By believing in God and living according to God’s will there is kindness and redemption for us.
Notice that KINDNESS is a part of the promise. Almighty God is a God of kindness and love not an avenging God. The Gospel story tells of how Christ raised Lazarus from the dead and it demonstrates the kindness and love that Christ exhibited toward His friends. Kindness has many manifestations in life, such as caring for the poor, aged and sick; reaching out to those who are struggling with addictions and trying to help them; being responsible in life and electing individuals who demonstrate concern for those who are not as privileged as others. These are all ways to live a life that reflects God.
The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said of Kindness: “Kindness and love, the most curative herbs and agents in Human intercourse are such precious finds that one would hope these balsam like remedies would be used as economically as possible; but this is impossible. Only the boldest Utopians would dream of the economy of kindness.”
The Dalai Lama had this to say about kindness: “When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace".
Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually.
Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.”
Our world today is so filled with bigotry, war, genocide and complete disregard for the needs of the poor, aged, sick, hungry, homeless and our environment that there does seem to be a severe lack of KINDNESS.
I believe that we need to pray the words of the Psalm for this week: Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears listen out for the voice of my pleading (Psalm 129 (130).
We need in these final weeks of Lent to turn our hearts and minds to God and plead with Him to hear our cries for relief from all the ills that are plaguing our world.
The Gospel relates how Jesus informed the disciples that Lazarus was dead: “Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe”, and that by restoring Lazarus to life people might finally believe that Christ was sent by God and was indeed the Promised One of the ages and the Son of God.
Those of us who believe and accept Christ and His teachings have received a special gift from God in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul in Romans 8 tells us: Spirit of God has made his home in you (Romans 8:8 - 11).
Every time we seek God’s help and allow ourselves to put complete trust in God we live the Hope that Ezekiel speaks of and we also are inspired by the Holy Spirit to live with a God like kindness. Last week I spoke of how Christ was the Way, the Truth and the Light sent by the Father to open our eyes and bring us out of the Darkness of sin and ignorance.
In today’s Gospel Christ says the following: “A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling because he has the light of this world to see by; but if he walks at night he stumbles, because there is no light to guide him.’ … ‘I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:1 - 45)?
How do you answer Christ’s question? Do you believe?
Lent is a time for us to take inventory of our lives and determine what we need to do to reflect Christ and His teachings in our daily lives and to become more God like by extending Kindness toward all we come in contact with and in our responsibilities and duties because as the Dalai Lama reminds us: “Responsibility lies with each of us individually”.
In today’s world there are many ills that need addressing and correcting, Many - if not most leaders, both world and church officials seem to cater to special interests and the rich and powerful and have lost site of the plight of the common individual. We as followers of Christ can make a difference by making our voices heard by our elected officials and by becoming more generous in our assistance to those in need. We can contribute a portion of the proceeds we save from our Lenten fasting to causes that are practicing kindness toward the poor, homeless, sick and aged.
Let our voice resound through our daily lives and actions with the words Martha spoke: “Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world”. We need to keep the promise Christ makes in the Gospel story in the forefront of our daily life by showing the Kindness of God to all we encounter because then Christ assures us; “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” AMEN
A Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent 2011
Based on Ezekiel 37:12 - 14, Psalm 129 (130), Romans 8:8 - 11, John 11:1 - 45
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
http://www.missionstsergius.org/,
http://www.franciscansdivinemercy.org/
This week’s readings are filled with hope and promise for us. The reading from the book of Ezekiel has the following instruction for us: “hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption” (Ezekiel 37:12 - 14). By believing in God and living according to God’s will there is kindness and redemption for us.
Notice that KINDNESS is a part of the promise. Almighty God is a God of kindness and love not an avenging God. The Gospel story tells of how Christ raised Lazarus from the dead and it demonstrates the kindness and love that Christ exhibited toward His friends. Kindness has many manifestations in life, such as caring for the poor, aged and sick; reaching out to those who are struggling with addictions and trying to help them; being responsible in life and electing individuals who demonstrate concern for those who are not as privileged as others. These are all ways to live a life that reflects God.
The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said of Kindness: “Kindness and love, the most curative herbs and agents in Human intercourse are such precious finds that one would hope these balsam like remedies would be used as economically as possible; but this is impossible. Only the boldest Utopians would dream of the economy of kindness.”
The Dalai Lama had this to say about kindness: “When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace".
Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually.
Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.”
Our world today is so filled with bigotry, war, genocide and complete disregard for the needs of the poor, aged, sick, hungry, homeless and our environment that there does seem to be a severe lack of KINDNESS.
I believe that we need to pray the words of the Psalm for this week: Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears listen out for the voice of my pleading (Psalm 129 (130).
We need in these final weeks of Lent to turn our hearts and minds to God and plead with Him to hear our cries for relief from all the ills that are plaguing our world.
The Gospel relates how Jesus informed the disciples that Lazarus was dead: “Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe”, and that by restoring Lazarus to life people might finally believe that Christ was sent by God and was indeed the Promised One of the ages and the Son of God.
Those of us who believe and accept Christ and His teachings have received a special gift from God in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul in Romans 8 tells us: Spirit of God has made his home in you (Romans 8:8 - 11).
Every time we seek God’s help and allow ourselves to put complete trust in God we live the Hope that Ezekiel speaks of and we also are inspired by the Holy Spirit to live with a God like kindness. Last week I spoke of how Christ was the Way, the Truth and the Light sent by the Father to open our eyes and bring us out of the Darkness of sin and ignorance.
In today’s Gospel Christ says the following: “A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling because he has the light of this world to see by; but if he walks at night he stumbles, because there is no light to guide him.’ … ‘I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:1 - 45)?
How do you answer Christ’s question? Do you believe?
Lent is a time for us to take inventory of our lives and determine what we need to do to reflect Christ and His teachings in our daily lives and to become more God like by extending Kindness toward all we come in contact with and in our responsibilities and duties because as the Dalai Lama reminds us: “Responsibility lies with each of us individually”.
In today’s world there are many ills that need addressing and correcting, Many - if not most leaders, both world and church officials seem to cater to special interests and the rich and powerful and have lost site of the plight of the common individual. We as followers of Christ can make a difference by making our voices heard by our elected officials and by becoming more generous in our assistance to those in need. We can contribute a portion of the proceeds we save from our Lenten fasting to causes that are practicing kindness toward the poor, homeless, sick and aged.
Let our voice resound through our daily lives and actions with the words Martha spoke: “Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world”. We need to keep the promise Christ makes in the Gospel story in the forefront of our daily life by showing the Kindness of God to all we encounter because then Christ assures us; “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” AMEN
Saturday, February 19, 2011
February 20th 2011 Reflection
7th Sunday of Ordinary Time Reflection
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Divine Mercy Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
This week’s readings are about how we are called to be holy and explain very simply what being holy is.
Being holy all revolves around LOVE, MERCY, KINDNESS, COMPASSION, CHARITY, FORGIVENESS and being flexible.
In our first reading from the book of LEVITICUS which is the book of laws, we hear these words; “You will not harbor hatred for your brother. You will reprove your fellow-countryman firmly and thus avoid burdening yourself with a sin. You will not exact vengeance on, or bear any sort of grudge against, the members of your race, but will love your neighbor as yourself. I God have spoken.”
The Gospel repeats the same idea when it tells us to; “if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if someone wishes to go to law with you to get your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone requires you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks you, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away. You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.”
God expects us to be holy persons, which means we must not seek what is fashionable in the world, but must extend to every person we come across the same kind of love as Christ showed to all who came to him.
We need to worry about those who are hungry, homeless, unemployed, sick and reach out as best we can to help them, even if they have done something to hurt us or have shown us disdain.
This is certainly not easy and totally opposite the norms of society but it is possible if we turn to our creator and ask for the graces to be Holy and to emulate Christ, St. Francis, Mother Therese of Calcutta, Father Damien of Molokai, all of whom gave totally of themselves to work and live with the poor, the sick, lepers, all those who society usually distains and rejects.
Last Monday we celebrated Valentines day, a day that is supposed to be dedicated to lovers but many have no idea who St. Valentine was and why he is associated with that day. St. Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the second. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime.
Notice that Valentine was HELPING those who society had deemed unwelcome and unworthy of having their love committed in Marriage. This was an act of being HOLY.
To actually live a life of holiness is extremely difficult especially when today’s society is so self centered and consumed with acquiring material things, fame, power and wealth, all of which are opposite what being HOLY is about and a life style exactly like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were living and we know what happened to them for NOT living a holy life.
What we need to do is ask God for help and the prayer I find addresses the goal and attributes of Holiness is what we call THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS. Let me close this reflection by inviting you to say the PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS with me.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Divine Mercy Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
This week’s readings are about how we are called to be holy and explain very simply what being holy is.
Being holy all revolves around LOVE, MERCY, KINDNESS, COMPASSION, CHARITY, FORGIVENESS and being flexible.
In our first reading from the book of LEVITICUS which is the book of laws, we hear these words; “You will not harbor hatred for your brother. You will reprove your fellow-countryman firmly and thus avoid burdening yourself with a sin. You will not exact vengeance on, or bear any sort of grudge against, the members of your race, but will love your neighbor as yourself. I God have spoken.”
The Gospel repeats the same idea when it tells us to; “if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if someone wishes to go to law with you to get your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone requires you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks you, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away. You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.”
God expects us to be holy persons, which means we must not seek what is fashionable in the world, but must extend to every person we come across the same kind of love as Christ showed to all who came to him.
We need to worry about those who are hungry, homeless, unemployed, sick and reach out as best we can to help them, even if they have done something to hurt us or have shown us disdain.
This is certainly not easy and totally opposite the norms of society but it is possible if we turn to our creator and ask for the graces to be Holy and to emulate Christ, St. Francis, Mother Therese of Calcutta, Father Damien of Molokai, all of whom gave totally of themselves to work and live with the poor, the sick, lepers, all those who society usually distains and rejects.
Last Monday we celebrated Valentines day, a day that is supposed to be dedicated to lovers but many have no idea who St. Valentine was and why he is associated with that day. St. Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the second. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime.
Notice that Valentine was HELPING those who society had deemed unwelcome and unworthy of having their love committed in Marriage. This was an act of being HOLY.
To actually live a life of holiness is extremely difficult especially when today’s society is so self centered and consumed with acquiring material things, fame, power and wealth, all of which are opposite what being HOLY is about and a life style exactly like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were living and we know what happened to them for NOT living a holy life.
What we need to do is ask God for help and the prayer I find addresses the goal and attributes of Holiness is what we call THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS. Let me close this reflection by inviting you to say the PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS with me.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Friday, February 11, 2011
February 13th 2011 Reflection
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time
A Reflection based on readings from: Sirach 15:15-20, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, Psalm 119, Matthew 5:17-37
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
Today's readings all have to do with the law, man made and God's law.
The first reading from the book of Sirach begins with these word; "If you choose to keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live."
Plain and simple it is a matter of choice on our part. In other words, we have the freedom to do good or choose to do evil.
In order to make the right choices we need God's graces. All evil in the world is the result of a human being choosing to take the path presented by the Lord of darkness, the fallen Angel who has been attempting since the beginning of time to lure people away from following and loving God.
This theme of choice continue in Paul's first letter top the Corinthians when it says; "We speak a wisdom not of this age nor of the rulers of this age as they are passing away, but we speak God's wisdom which is mysterious and hidden and which none of the rulers of this age knew for if they had they would not have crucified Christ."
In order for us to understand and to then put into practice the wisdom and will of God and make the correct choices we have to believe in God and ask God to inspire and guide us. We have to always keep in mind that God is Love and a loving God does not desire us to suffer needlessly. God freely give his infinite mercy and love to everyone of His children who seek it from Him. So it is with the wisdom to understand his desire for us.
In the Gospel Christ tells us: " Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill and clarify them" Christ goes on to say the following; "I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
The scribes and Pharisees of Christ are the hierarchy of many of today's Religions who have made a whole bevy of man made rules that often are in total contradiction to the teachings of Christ. Firstly, Christ turned NO ONE away who came to him with faith and the desire to know his teachings and to worship the one true God.
Christ came to reinterpret the laws that had changed from the Commandments God gave to something that evolved over time to a lot of rules and regulations that had little to do with the original intent by God.
The same thing has happened since the time of Christ and that first Pentecost when the Church, we call the Christian Religion, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and they went forth proclaiming Christ's teachings and Baptizing in Water and the Holy Spirit.
It is that Baptism and the Holy Spirit that will assist us in making the right decisions so that we follow God's law.
The responsorial Psalm for today sums it all up; "Blessed are they that follow the law of the Lord"
Over the last three weeks we have heard what Christ said was the way to live when he gave His Sermon on the Mount which we call the BEATITUDES which, According to the dictionary means "Heavenly Happiness or Bliss" and the Great commandment Christ gave us; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law of the Prophets hangs on these two commandments."
We must always remember that; "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 Jn 4:16).
Remembering this we can always have the courage to make the right choices which Sirach and Paul's letter instruct we must do if we are to claim the place God has prepared for us in haven if we made the right choices and followed his teachings by being compassionate and loving toward All God's children, especially the sick, poor, aged, homeless, unemployed and disenfranchised of this world according to God's will and desire given in His commandments and laws. A God who is LOVE will never deny us the ability to live in accord with his will.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire and lead us in the way of the Lord and give us the courage to always make the right choices so we serve God by serving His children here on this planet. AMEN
Pax E Bonum
A faithful Servant of Christ and St. Francis
Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
Father Guardian of Franciscans of Divine Mercy
20 Veterans Memorial Drive #200
Franklin, MA 02038
http://www.missionstserggius.org/
Divine Mercy Parish of the North American Old Catholic Church New England Diocese.
"Fostering a strong commitment to catholic tradition while searching for contemporary meaning"
A Reflection based on readings from: Sirach 15:15-20, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, Psalm 119, Matthew 5:17-37
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org/
Today's readings all have to do with the law, man made and God's law.
The first reading from the book of Sirach begins with these word; "If you choose to keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live."
Plain and simple it is a matter of choice on our part. In other words, we have the freedom to do good or choose to do evil.
In order to make the right choices we need God's graces. All evil in the world is the result of a human being choosing to take the path presented by the Lord of darkness, the fallen Angel who has been attempting since the beginning of time to lure people away from following and loving God.
This theme of choice continue in Paul's first letter top the Corinthians when it says; "We speak a wisdom not of this age nor of the rulers of this age as they are passing away, but we speak God's wisdom which is mysterious and hidden and which none of the rulers of this age knew for if they had they would not have crucified Christ."
In order for us to understand and to then put into practice the wisdom and will of God and make the correct choices we have to believe in God and ask God to inspire and guide us. We have to always keep in mind that God is Love and a loving God does not desire us to suffer needlessly. God freely give his infinite mercy and love to everyone of His children who seek it from Him. So it is with the wisdom to understand his desire for us.
In the Gospel Christ tells us: " Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill and clarify them" Christ goes on to say the following; "I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
The scribes and Pharisees of Christ are the hierarchy of many of today's Religions who have made a whole bevy of man made rules that often are in total contradiction to the teachings of Christ. Firstly, Christ turned NO ONE away who came to him with faith and the desire to know his teachings and to worship the one true God.
Christ came to reinterpret the laws that had changed from the Commandments God gave to something that evolved over time to a lot of rules and regulations that had little to do with the original intent by God.
The same thing has happened since the time of Christ and that first Pentecost when the Church, we call the Christian Religion, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and they went forth proclaiming Christ's teachings and Baptizing in Water and the Holy Spirit.
It is that Baptism and the Holy Spirit that will assist us in making the right decisions so that we follow God's law.
The responsorial Psalm for today sums it all up; "Blessed are they that follow the law of the Lord"
Over the last three weeks we have heard what Christ said was the way to live when he gave His Sermon on the Mount which we call the BEATITUDES which, According to the dictionary means "Heavenly Happiness or Bliss" and the Great commandment Christ gave us; "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law of the Prophets hangs on these two commandments."
We must always remember that; "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 Jn 4:16).
Remembering this we can always have the courage to make the right choices which Sirach and Paul's letter instruct we must do if we are to claim the place God has prepared for us in haven if we made the right choices and followed his teachings by being compassionate and loving toward All God's children, especially the sick, poor, aged, homeless, unemployed and disenfranchised of this world according to God's will and desire given in His commandments and laws. A God who is LOVE will never deny us the ability to live in accord with his will.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire and lead us in the way of the Lord and give us the courage to always make the right choices so we serve God by serving His children here on this planet. AMEN
Pax E Bonum
A faithful Servant of Christ and St. Francis
Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
Father Guardian of Franciscans of Divine Mercy
20 Veterans Memorial Drive #200
Franklin, MA 02038
http://www.missionstserggius.org/
Divine Mercy Parish of the North American Old Catholic Church New England Diocese.
"Fostering a strong commitment to catholic tradition while searching for contemporary meaning"
Friday, February 4, 2011
Reflection on Readings for February 6th 2011
You Are The Salt of the Earth
A Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2011
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Divine Mercy Franciscans
Divine Mercy Old Catholic Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste what can make it salty again”, Our Gospel reading began with these words and they are more than worth pondering over.
Think about the attributes of salt. Without salt most foods are bland and have little taste. Salt is an essential part of our body. Our tears and sweat are salty. Salt can melt ice and when mixed with certain chemicals can cause and explosion. When Christ tells us that we are the salt of the earth he means that without us, the world would be bland and tasteless.
The Gospel goes on the tell us that salt when it looses its flavoring ability; “is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.” Like salt, if we loose our flavor for God we become worthless as disciples of Christ and messengers of God‘s love.
The next passage of the Gospel proclaims; “You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The meaning of this passage is very clear, you can not hide your faith and trust and love of God from other but you need to be proud and wear your faith like a badge of honor.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians explains that he is not a great orator nor did he use mystery and high faulting language but simply explained the truth of Christ’s message and God’s love for all His children. He explains that he came with fear and trembling and with the full recognition of his weakness and his failings. In other words he recognized that he was a simple human being that God picked out to proclaim the Good news of Salvation to all he encountered.
He did not use Great theological, philosophical and psychological language but the simple language and Christ’s words to let people know that Christ came for Everybody on the face of the earth.
Paul makes it clear that we can not depend on human knowledge and man made rules and regulations to earn the kingdom of heaven but we need to listen to that inner voice which is usually the Holy Spirit, guiding us and leading us to a deeper knowledge and love of God.
We need to put complete faith and trust in God and continually ask God to assist us in getting to know , love and serve Him and to have the courage and the strength to “Let our light of faith shine brightly for all to see”
We have to be like Salt and give a wonderful flavor to our message of God’s power, love, mercy by letting the light of our faith in God shine forth every day having our daily actions emulate the Beatitudes that we heard last week and the Great commandment Christ gave us; “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law of the Prophets hangs on these two commandments.”
We must always remember that; “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
Remembering this we can always have the courage and not be afraid to let our Faith and love of God shine forth like a beacon to keep away the darkness and despair that often can overtake people who have lost their faith or who have never known the Good News of Salvation that Christ earned for us.
We can be the spice of life and a beacon of faith to lead others to the promised land of everlasting life in heaven with the creator and all the heavenly elect. AMEN
A Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2011
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD, Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Divine Mercy Franciscans
Divine Mercy Old Catholic Parish, Franklin, MA
www.missionstsergius.org
“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste what can make it salty again”, Our Gospel reading began with these words and they are more than worth pondering over.
Think about the attributes of salt. Without salt most foods are bland and have little taste. Salt is an essential part of our body. Our tears and sweat are salty. Salt can melt ice and when mixed with certain chemicals can cause and explosion. When Christ tells us that we are the salt of the earth he means that without us, the world would be bland and tasteless.
The Gospel goes on the tell us that salt when it looses its flavoring ability; “is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.” Like salt, if we loose our flavor for God we become worthless as disciples of Christ and messengers of God‘s love.
The next passage of the Gospel proclaims; “You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The meaning of this passage is very clear, you can not hide your faith and trust and love of God from other but you need to be proud and wear your faith like a badge of honor.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians explains that he is not a great orator nor did he use mystery and high faulting language but simply explained the truth of Christ’s message and God’s love for all His children. He explains that he came with fear and trembling and with the full recognition of his weakness and his failings. In other words he recognized that he was a simple human being that God picked out to proclaim the Good news of Salvation to all he encountered.
He did not use Great theological, philosophical and psychological language but the simple language and Christ’s words to let people know that Christ came for Everybody on the face of the earth.
Paul makes it clear that we can not depend on human knowledge and man made rules and regulations to earn the kingdom of heaven but we need to listen to that inner voice which is usually the Holy Spirit, guiding us and leading us to a deeper knowledge and love of God.
We need to put complete faith and trust in God and continually ask God to assist us in getting to know , love and serve Him and to have the courage and the strength to “Let our light of faith shine brightly for all to see”
We have to be like Salt and give a wonderful flavor to our message of God’s power, love, mercy by letting the light of our faith in God shine forth every day having our daily actions emulate the Beatitudes that we heard last week and the Great commandment Christ gave us; “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law of the Prophets hangs on these two commandments.”
We must always remember that; “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
Remembering this we can always have the courage and not be afraid to let our Faith and love of God shine forth like a beacon to keep away the darkness and despair that often can overtake people who have lost their faith or who have never known the Good News of Salvation that Christ earned for us.
We can be the spice of life and a beacon of faith to lead others to the promised land of everlasting life in heaven with the creator and all the heavenly elect. AMEN
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Restoring Justice a Reflection for Nov. 14th
33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time 2010
A Reflection based on readings from
Malachi 3:19-20A, Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-19
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org
The readings for this Sunday seem to be preparing us for the coming season of Advent from the first readings admonition; “The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. … But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.”; and the final Gospel reading where Christ is telling those around him at the Temple of Jerusalem the following; “ Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed. Those around him poised this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’ Take care not to be deceived,’ Christ said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.” ….. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”
This week is International Restorative Justice Week which means that this is a week dedicated to restoring Equality and Justice to all the nations of the world by putting an end to torture, bigotry, hatred, and all the injustices that plague our societies today.
Recently we have seen and heard of so many young people who have either taken their lives because of being bullied or have suffered beatings and in a few cases death by people who felt that they were superior or that their beliefs were the correct one. Many of these young people were persons whom God created with an orientation toward those of the same sex or homosexuals.
Christ’s message of the Gospel tells us that if we have faith and put our trust in God we can overcome any injustices.
People who have been the victims of bullying or those who have had any violent act committed against them may well think that the end is near. Survivors and victims of crimes often have feelings of denial, fear, anger, vindictiveness. Often they do not understand why the crime happened to them, and are often unable to forgive. But we MUST forgive just as Christ did when he hung on the cross and proclaimed “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”
It is true, many who commit the violent acts especially one of prejudice and hatred do so because they have been taught this by bigoted and people ignorant of God’s teachings.
All too often the victims of prejudice, hatred and violence are often overlooked and forgotten about but the trauma that they experienced lives forever in their mind and heart and gives them fear often deep enough for them to believe that their world has ended.
During this International Restorative Justice week and in fact every day of the year we are called by God to bring hope to hopeless victims. Giving people the knowledge of God’s infinite love and mercy and a spiritual well being can bring comfort and help to people in pain, As it says in our first reading from the prophet Malachi, “Those who have knowledge and faith (Fear) in God the sun of justice with its healing rays.” There is something each of us can do to advance this process of justice and equality for all as promised in the Declaration of Independence of the United States, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In doing so, we can be carried through suffering to glory along with Jesus. And we will be living out the final words found in Psalm 97; “You that love the LORD, hate evil will be delivered out of the hand of the wicked.”
This is a time not of endings or finality but of hope and a time to begin to turn away from accepting violence and hatred and turning to being a loving and caring child of God who extends the kind of love Christ exhibited toward all who came to him. This is a time to become open and affirming toward all God’s children regardless of their nationality, race, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Every person on the face of this earth is a child of God and deserves to have dignity, equality and justice and the freedom to live without fear. Let us make this our goal for the coming season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our redeemer and Savior. Let us work hard to restore Justice to ALL God’s children all over the globe. AMEN
A Reflection based on readings from
Malachi 3:19-20A, Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-19
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
http://www.missionstsergius.org
The readings for this Sunday seem to be preparing us for the coming season of Advent from the first readings admonition; “The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. … But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.”; and the final Gospel reading where Christ is telling those around him at the Temple of Jerusalem the following; “ Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed. Those around him poised this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’ Take care not to be deceived,’ Christ said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.” ….. “You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”
This week is International Restorative Justice Week which means that this is a week dedicated to restoring Equality and Justice to all the nations of the world by putting an end to torture, bigotry, hatred, and all the injustices that plague our societies today.
Recently we have seen and heard of so many young people who have either taken their lives because of being bullied or have suffered beatings and in a few cases death by people who felt that they were superior or that their beliefs were the correct one. Many of these young people were persons whom God created with an orientation toward those of the same sex or homosexuals.
Christ’s message of the Gospel tells us that if we have faith and put our trust in God we can overcome any injustices.
People who have been the victims of bullying or those who have had any violent act committed against them may well think that the end is near. Survivors and victims of crimes often have feelings of denial, fear, anger, vindictiveness. Often they do not understand why the crime happened to them, and are often unable to forgive. But we MUST forgive just as Christ did when he hung on the cross and proclaimed “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”
It is true, many who commit the violent acts especially one of prejudice and hatred do so because they have been taught this by bigoted and people ignorant of God’s teachings.
All too often the victims of prejudice, hatred and violence are often overlooked and forgotten about but the trauma that they experienced lives forever in their mind and heart and gives them fear often deep enough for them to believe that their world has ended.
During this International Restorative Justice week and in fact every day of the year we are called by God to bring hope to hopeless victims. Giving people the knowledge of God’s infinite love and mercy and a spiritual well being can bring comfort and help to people in pain, As it says in our first reading from the prophet Malachi, “Those who have knowledge and faith (Fear) in God the sun of justice with its healing rays.” There is something each of us can do to advance this process of justice and equality for all as promised in the Declaration of Independence of the United States, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In doing so, we can be carried through suffering to glory along with Jesus. And we will be living out the final words found in Psalm 97; “You that love the LORD, hate evil will be delivered out of the hand of the wicked.”
This is a time not of endings or finality but of hope and a time to begin to turn away from accepting violence and hatred and turning to being a loving and caring child of God who extends the kind of love Christ exhibited toward all who came to him. This is a time to become open and affirming toward all God’s children regardless of their nationality, race, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. Every person on the face of this earth is a child of God and deserves to have dignity, equality and justice and the freedom to live without fear. Let us make this our goal for the coming season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our redeemer and Savior. Let us work hard to restore Justice to ALL God’s children all over the globe. AMEN
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Ash Wednesday Reflection
Ash Wednesday Reflection 2010
by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Joel 2:12-18, Psalm 51, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
www.missionstsergius.org
The first reading for Ash Wednesday is from Joel 2:12-19 and it encourages us with the following words, “The Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.”
Do not tear your clothing or cover yourself with ashes but tear your hearts instead. What we are being told here is that we need to open ourselves up to being more compassionate and caring. We need to change our ways from being selfish and greedy and open ourselves up toward more generous and forgiving.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. With these words God is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that he is not out to inflict vengeance and condemnation upon us but is very merciful and forgiving. Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners” I understand the last sentence to indicate that as priests of God we should never allow those who do not accept God or Jesus Christ and His teachings to dictate to us how we should think and behave. So many people laugh and talk about what church leaders of all denominations have done or preached in the name of God and remark how that does not seem to be what Christ had to say. I have heard many say about religious leaders “They talk the talk but they do not walk the walk” meaning of course they preach the words but their actions are the exact opposite of the teachings.
If we but begin to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to bring about justice and peace to all the people of the earth then we have the following promise from God that; “The Lord’s Promises Restoration, Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”
The second reading of the day comes from Matthew 6:16-21 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Again we are promised a reward for living our lives without seeking out special recognition from other and living our life for God’s recognition. The passage goes on further to instruct us on how we should perceive our possessions. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Everything we do in this live should be directed toward our Eternal life and not toward this fleeting existence on this earth. This is brought very clearly to focus when we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with the words “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This life is not an everlasting one, we are here only for a short time and it is what and how we live our life here on earth that will determine how our eternal life will be.
There are so many opportunities to serve God according to Christ’s teachings in this world today. The guide I personally use for what I need to do is found in the Corporal Works of Mercy which tell us to; Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit those in prison, and Bury the dead. These are the criteria by which God will judge us. We will not be judged by how many rosaries we say or how many times we go to church but by whether or not we practiced these actions for the sake of all God’s children and not just for our own personal recognition.
In Matthew 25:34-39 Christ makes this clear when He tells us “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
On this Ash Wednesday let us allow the ashes to remind us of the briefness of our time here to build up our heavenly treasure and the frailty of our nature and attempt as much as possible to become a fervent follower of Christ and child of God by our actions in His honor. Let us work fervently to seek a lasting peace and brotherhood between all of God’s children and not be the cause of friction and dissent but of compassion and forgiveness. Let us put our words into action and let our actions speak louder than our words. We are the masters of our destiny here on earth. God has given us the directions all we need to do is follow them. Christ made clear the will of the Father, He clarified the teachings of the Old Testament and gave us the New Covenant now all we have to do is realy live our daily life by it. AMEN
by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFD
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
Joel 2:12-18, Psalm 51, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
www.missionstsergius.org
The first reading for Ash Wednesday is from Joel 2:12-19 and it encourages us with the following words, “The Lord says, Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your heart Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.”
Do not tear your clothing or cover yourself with ashes but tear your hearts instead. What we are being told here is that we need to open ourselves up to being more compassionate and caring. We need to change our ways from being selfish and greedy and open ourselves up toward more generous and forgiving.
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. With these words God is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that he is not out to inflict vengeance and condemnation upon us but is very merciful and forgiving. Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners” I understand the last sentence to indicate that as priests of God we should never allow those who do not accept God or Jesus Christ and His teachings to dictate to us how we should think and behave. So many people laugh and talk about what church leaders of all denominations have done or preached in the name of God and remark how that does not seem to be what Christ had to say. I have heard many say about religious leaders “They talk the talk but they do not walk the walk” meaning of course they preach the words but their actions are the exact opposite of the teachings.
If we but begin to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to bring about justice and peace to all the people of the earth then we have the following promise from God that; “The Lord’s Promises Restoration, Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.”
The second reading of the day comes from Matthew 6:16-21 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Again we are promised a reward for living our lives without seeking out special recognition from other and living our life for God’s recognition. The passage goes on further to instruct us on how we should perceive our possessions. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Everything we do in this live should be directed toward our Eternal life and not toward this fleeting existence on this earth. This is brought very clearly to focus when we receive the sign of the cross on our forehead with the words “Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This life is not an everlasting one, we are here only for a short time and it is what and how we live our life here on earth that will determine how our eternal life will be.
There are so many opportunities to serve God according to Christ’s teachings in this world today. The guide I personally use for what I need to do is found in the Corporal Works of Mercy which tell us to; Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit those in prison, and Bury the dead. These are the criteria by which God will judge us. We will not be judged by how many rosaries we say or how many times we go to church but by whether or not we practiced these actions for the sake of all God’s children and not just for our own personal recognition.
In Matthew 25:34-39 Christ makes this clear when He tells us “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me, I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
On this Ash Wednesday let us allow the ashes to remind us of the briefness of our time here to build up our heavenly treasure and the frailty of our nature and attempt as much as possible to become a fervent follower of Christ and child of God by our actions in His honor. Let us work fervently to seek a lasting peace and brotherhood between all of God’s children and not be the cause of friction and dissent but of compassion and forgiveness. Let us put our words into action and let our actions speak louder than our words. We are the masters of our destiny here on earth. God has given us the directions all we need to do is follow them. Christ made clear the will of the Father, He clarified the teachings of the Old Testament and gave us the New Covenant now all we have to do is realy live our daily life by it. AMEN
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Saints Sergius & Bacchus
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Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
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